TMI: The Beautiful Catastrophe
by Convergence-Eternal
Summary: A new powerful enemy appears that threatens to upset the timeline and plunge Tokyo into Chaos. All for the sake of revenge. Along the way the Sailor scouts will run into new friends and enemies as they struggle to defeat this new foe. This Fic includes numerous O/C's, major OOC moments, Dark Dumbledore, and Cameo's from Ranma 1/2 characters.
1. Silver Lining

Rain tapped the window upon a bright summers day in the Minato ward of Tokyo. It was quiet today. How very and utterly quiet it was.

Sitting alone up in her room was a young woman who was left untouched by destiny. She was scarred by the cross fire of a war beyond her grasp. Left in the dark by the one she still called her friend.

Life hadn't been too rough on her though, as she did have plenty of caring friends. She had even fallen in love. All she had to do to make her life a fairy tale was forget the pain and forget him.

She refused to forget and every tear she shed was a tribute to memories best forgotten. Every quiet moment paid homage to a brave girl who believed that love could redeem. It is always darkest before the dawn, so how was she living in an eternal night?

Maybe one day she could just move on. The rain would wash away the diseased memories. But today she just wanted to sit in her room. So she could watch the world look so beautiful and forget about the past if only for a little while.

Who do you think your fooling Naru? You are just another piece of scenery in some one else's tale. Your dreams will never be more than a forgotten memory. You just stay exactly the way you are. One day all that you will be is a name on a forgotten page. The weight of time will scatter the ashes of your memory.

Stay strong for your friends and their memories. Stay strong because today is a new day and it is never too late to forgive. You try so hard but fate has had other plans for you, until now. You are cracked and imperfect yet you are so strong.

'What will it take to break you?' He wondered as he sat alone on a park bench. The rain could not bother him as he magically observed the weakest link in the chain of love and justice. He was old enough to remember feeling the way she felt as she stared out that window. He too, was once thrown out by destiny and a long time ago spent many of his days looking out at the world.

His name was Albus Dumbledore and in this world he had died several years ago. But this was not his world, this was not his time and this was not his place. This was the opening stage of a war against a hated foe. She took the boy from him, she stole his champion of the light, she would pay for this and Naru would be his key.


	2. Deep Recon

In an unnamed bar in Tokyo a rough and tumble biker was getting themself gloriously drunk, alone.

Suddenly in a brief moment of clarity they realized something was off. As their body tried to fight off the inebriating effects of sake, their eyes scanned the room for a threat.

There it was, that odd feeling again that kept on bugging them. Where was it coming from and why hadn't their communicator rung yet. What could this be, did some one drug them?

No, not likely. The cheery J-pop and burly men wearing ass less chaps tended to discourage creeps form going to places like this.

Evil tended to lurk in the shadows. Not in the middle of a bright pink dance floor while the YMCA theme blasted over the speakers.

So what could this feeling be? If only Rei was here, she knew all about this kind of stuff. Unfortunately places like this weren't really Rei's kind of thing.

No, this kind of thing belonged to Haruka. This was her hide away when the week had been a nightmare and riding her motorcycle through the city finally got boring, which it almost never did.

Almost, which is why Haruka was currently at an establishment where the customers flames burnt very brightly.

Finally after combing the entire gay bar with her eyes, she spotted one thing that was not quite like the others.

This place was primarily a den of bears. Every so often a female of an unusual persuasion or a cross-dressed individual like herself would come a knocking. Not because they were trying to get lucky, their where better places to do that, but because this was a fun place to hang out.

But in the very corner with a glass of water was a young lady who fit none of the former descriptions. She was young, very young and definitely not eighteen.

Haruka silently mulled over the possibilities to explain her presence. Maybe she had just come out and wanted to just take a peek at a place like this. That was possible, but unlikely. The Iron Duck was more a whole in the wall then anything else. People came back to it mostly out of nostalgia.

What some one else did with their free time was not really any of her business. Still, the whole Sailor starlight fiasco was still fresh in her mind. They wouldn't get caught off guard like that again. Not if she could help it any ways.

So for the sake of her princess and the survival of the human race, Haruka went over to talk to an under age girl.

"Hey there, what your name", she started off with. No need to come off too strong and scare the poor thing away.

"Hannah, my name is Hannah. Who are you?", asked the brown haired girl.

"Say Hannah, how did a pretty little thing like you end up in a place like this?", began Haruka nonchalantly, before she sat down next to Hannah.

"It's a long story", tears welling up in her eyes as she forced the words out.

"Well I got all night", Haruka then placed her hand on Hannahs, "how about we go somewhere a little more private and you tell me all about it".

Hannah gave a quick nod and the two disappeared into the night.


	3. Gryffindor Swag

In the shadiest part of Daigon alley their lay a small business not often visited by the finer members of wizarding society. It was Roach & sons private investigation firm. Its musty old doors had collected a fine layer of dust. Without a doubt the business and its owner had seen finer days.

Said owner was currently at his desk with piles of antiquated paper work all around him. Some of which dated back from when his father started the business in the forties.

Bureaucracy was an art as foreign to the Roach family as casting magic was to a squib.

Many members of the Roach family where squibs actually. Including its current owner Mackenzie Roach, who was a gentleman of disrepute.

The kindest words that could be gathered for his obituary when he once faked his death were, "He was one salty son of a bitch".

This man of infamy was currently leaning back in his chair with his thick leather boots on his desk and his fedora tucked down to cover his eyes.

Few men, be they wizard or otherwise could claim to have worn such an elaborate get up on a casual Friday at work. Even fewer could claim to have the gall to wear a long leather duster in July.

It was under these circumstances that a grim faced harry potter burst out of the shops fire place. The hardened war hero coughed as wisps of smoke from the pipe of Mr. Roach wafted into his lungs.

The boy who lived quickly fought off his light-headedness and turned to face the least trustworthy fellow to ever have slept with a troll (long story).

"I have urgent business I must speak with you about".

"What exactly would that be, Mr. Potter? I don't suppose a big aurror like you would drop into me shop just to say hello".

"No this is serious, it involves a certain Albus Dumbledore"

"Oh him. He's dead. I will give you that information for free; anything else is going to cost you. "

Harry threw a bag of galleons onto the table. Never changing his mask of determination as a fire smoldered in his eyes.

"Tell me Mr. Roach, are you a betting man?"

"I am, and it's losing too many bets that got me listening to punks like you just so I can earn a decent meal. What's it too ya?".

"Well I hear that you mother was a muggle born, a detective. I hear she was a pretty good one at that before she married your father."

"What of it?"

Mr. Roach raised an eyebrow and studied the wizard before him more carefully. What was this boy playing at?

" I hear you inherited some of her talent. Shame it would be if that talent went to waste. Talent earns good coin around these parts".

"What part of talents would you be requiring Mr. Potter? For I am afraid many of the tools of my trade are rather blunt and my subtlety could use a bit refurbishment"

" I want a man tracked down. A dead man, the one you were kind enough to give me free information on earlier."

"How much are ya gonna pay me for that one Potter? Ten thousand galleons?"

"No. Twenty five thousand galleons actually, but you only have five months to find him. Any later and it could be too late".

That had gotten Mr. Roaches attention all right. He quickly took his feet off of the table and got up. An audible cracking could be heard as he did so and a faint grimace formed on his gaunt features.

"Why should I believe that you will actually pay me?"

Rather than answer Harry just step forward and dropped another bag of galleons onto the table. A creaking could be heard as the table began to buckle under its weight.

"There is about two thousand for travel. I didn't bother to count though. You can keep anything extra to pay for the damages"

The table finally cracked inwards as two as piles of decade old papers fell upon the floor. By the time that Mr. Roach looked back up from the devastation, Harry had already vanished.

"Well shite, better get to work then".


	4. Fashionably Late

Haruka's head was spinning. How much had she been drinking last night? Why was she in a shady motel room right now? Who was the girl that was in the same bed as her?

Haruka could feel that she was still wearing clothes. That's good. She could also feel that the person next to her was not. That's bad.

Normally Haruka would have responded to a situation like this with a cocky grin. Not this time.

First off, she had been trying to be more loyal to Michuru for the past couple years. Sure she had messed up once or twice, but at least she was trying.

Secondly, the girl in her bed obviously not old enough to drink. That might not have stopped Haruka back in her younger days but for crying out loud she was a father now. Well a father in the symbolic sense of the word any ways.

Lastly, she had absolutely no idea who the girl in that bed was. She could have been sleeping with a dark general for all she knew. Odds were that the girl was just an ordinary girl. But it never hurt to keep your guard up. This was especially true given the other Sailor's history of fraternizing with the enemy.

Haruka's brilliant theories were quickly cut short by two things. The first being her hang over, and the second was the girl waking up.

Fortunately for Haruka, the girls first question wasn't "did I sleep with you last night?", it was instead a frantic "What time is it?"

No sooner had the words "ten o'clock", left Haruka's mouth then the girl got up and started getting ready faster than Usagi did when she was late for school.

It was almost impressive really. In a blur of skin, hair, and creative swearing she was already dressed. She then accelerated straight into the closet. Resulting in a painfully loud collision, and then she running out the door with a massive backpack on her shoulders.

Haruka just stood their frozen in time. It wasn't until long after thunderous foot steps faded into the distance that she recovered.

Judging from their intensity of her footsteps the girl was probably not as fast as Meatball head. Still, the cacophony she was able to create in her wake was something, which had to be experienced to be believed.

It was at this point that Haruka actually looked at the clock in the seedy motel room. In reality it was only half past eight.

Since it was a Saturday morning she might still be able to sneak back home unnoticed if she played her cards right.

It was at this point she noticed a pigtailed martial artist jumping from rooftop to roof top outside her window.

"Hey kid. How would you like to make a quick buck?", she yelled out the window.

The kid froze on roof of a building across form her and started looking around in a paranoid manner. To get his attention Haruka whistled loudly in the manner a new Yorker would use to summon a taxi cab.

It worked like a charm and before she knew it a handsome martial artist had burst in through her window.

Haruka cut right past the small talk and said up front, "I got somewhere I have to be really quick. If you get me their fast I will make to worth your while".

The kid looked uncertain about this.

"Unless you think your too weak for it kid.", coaxed Haruka.

The kid narrowed his eyes and held out his hand. Haruka dropped in a few yen and instantly began to regret her clouded judgment.

The kid flung her into a fireman's carry and started moving through out the city fast enough make her head spin. Not that it took much to make her head spin with her hangover though.

After nearly breaking the sound barrier and accidently eating a few bugs, Haruka was nearly home.

To her surprise it began to rain. That's odd she thought she hadn't seen rain clouds earlier. Then suddenly she heard a high-pitched yelp of surprise. What could that have been?

She yelled that she lived in the Minako ward to her transport, but the kid didn't respond.

Before Haruka knew it she was at her home. She didn't remember telling the kid where she lived. She turned back to thank him but the kid was gone.

All that she could see was a short red haired girl with a pigtail dragging her feet as she walked through the rain.

It had been a pretty exciting morning but the greatest trial of all lay just ahead.

Explaining to Michuru where she had been last night.

With an uneven sigh Haruka walked forward and opened the door.


	5. Chiba's Folly

Mamoru Chiba was many things: a father, a future husband, a reincarnated prince, and a future medical professional.

Something he had no intention of becoming was a pincushion. Which is why he was currently dodging the knives thrown at him by a psycho princess.

Who ever she was she definitely was not human. That much had become clear several minutes ago when she spat acid at him.

If she really was a youma then she should have revealed her true and terrible form along time ago. Staying beautiful and pretty while attempting to murder a planetary avatar was a treatment usually reserved for dark generals and major villains.

No offense to who ever this crazy person wearing a red dress was, but he doubted she was the next Queen Beryl.

Where were the Sailor Soldiers? Shouldn't they have been here a while ago? Either there were other monsters keeping them busy or his other theory was correct and he really wasn't facing a Daemon.

His distraction caused him dearly when a knife by passed his guard and flew straight into his chest. Momaru had survived worse but it still really hurt.

"Why can't we just be civil about this", he pleaded half jokingly.

To his astonishment his opponent stopped attacking him immediately and walked over to greet him.

"Hello there", she began in a chipper voice, "My name is Luna of the Elder moon. I am here to be an ambassoder between our two peoples".

Mamoru started snickering.

The young villain in the red dress cycled through several emotions as Prince Endymion fell to the floor laughing.

Confusion, embarrassment, rage, confusion again, and finally deep disappointment at the realization the fight was over.

"You done now?", she asked as politly as she could.

At least that's what the monster of the week meant to say. What really came out was a guttural threat to the princes safety if he didn't get up this instant.

"What kind of monster are you supposed to be?", the future trophy husband of the Silver Millennium's Queen asked her.

"I am not a monster", she answered through gritted teeth, "I am a diplomat".

Anger flashed in her eyes as she stared down in righteous fury.

"You should be glad I even came to this world by mistake. You should be thankful I haven't killed you for your insolence. You should be praying that my friends don't arrive soon. Because they are far less forgiving of a potential threat than I am".

A shit-eating grin was still plastered on Mamoru's face when he got off the floor.

Mamoru was probably expecting one of the Sailors to come in at any moment and save his worthless hide once again. But that's not what happened.

No, not even close.

A portion of a nearby wall burst open and in came a mad max look alike with insanely spikey black hair.

"DEVIL BONEEERRRR!"

It was at this moment Mamoru discovered that he did in fact posses a Lol wut face.

"Bollocks", was all Luna could say before the explosions happened.

As the battlefield lit of like the fourth of July Mamoru had a bright idea for once and teleported out of their like a pansy.

Bullets flew, a diplomat got thrown around like a rag doll, and somewhere in the world a young Michael bay felt his balls tingle.

At the end of three minutes of raw unadultered violence a victorious DEVIL BONER made his exit. On top of a flaming motorcycle screaming at the top of his lungs about the power of friendship, while every man within the entire island nation of japan suddenly felt inadequate.

From the ashes of defeat a diplomat arose. She let loose a wild guttural scream and cursed her luck. First she was cut off from the line of succession and now this.

Diplomacy be darned, she would track down that prince and she her foot right up his self righteous behind.

No one laughs at her, no one stands by and gawks as she is beaten within an inch of her life, and no one ditches her like she was some two-bit joy girl.

Heads were going to roll.


	6. Sweet Dreams

There was a knock at the door. Makoto went to see who it was, and found herself pleasantly surprised.

"You must be Hannah, please come in", Said Makoto as she opened the door.

Hannahs eyes flew open and a childish grin formed on her face as she walked in. She dropped her heavy pack and gazed in wonder.

Misreading the young ladies reaction, Makoto began to apologize.

"I am sorry its so messy, I just had friends over yesterday and I hadn't expected you for another hour".

Hannah said " This place is amazing. I have never seen any where so clean before.".

Makoto was a bit taken back by the praise but accepted it nonetheless.

Suddenly Hannah started scrambeling though her bag with animalistic speed.

"Here", she said as she rubbed the back of her neck, " I know its not much but here's my first months rent and my initial payment".

"Your paying in advance?", asked Makoto.

"Yeah. My dad would skin me alive if I missed a payment to a pretty lady like you", said Hannah.

Once again Makoto was unsure how to respond to an genuine compliment from some one she had met moments ago.

"Mrs. Kino?", spoke Hannah softly.

"Yes Hannah?", Makoto answered back.

"I was wondering if you could show me where I will be sleeping, I stayed up all last night with a friend so I am really tired.".

Makoto was suddenly possessed by the urge to bludgeon herself with the nearest blunt instrument. How could she have forgotten something like that.

"Um . . . Its right through here", Makoto lied as she lead her to her bed.

"Thanks ", mumbled Hannah sleepily.

Just like that Hannah was out like a light.

Next time she invited foreign exchange students to stay at her home, she would have the bed ready before they got here.

Oh well, could have been worse she supposed. She and her friends could have made a scene and scarred her guest away.

Just then there was a second knock at the door. Then another more energetic knock at the door, then the door swung open and Usagi walked in.

"Hey Makoto want to come with us to go out for ice cream", she said out loud.

Makoto raised up a finger to indicate silence and then nodded.

"Why are we being so quiet", whispered Usagi very loudly.

Makoto pointed over to her bed where Hannah was lying.

"Who's she, a relative of yours?", Usagi asked.

Makoto Shook her head before saying softly.

"She's an foreign exchange student, she just arrived earlier".

"Oh. Okay" said Usagi before smiling and asking, "Can I meet her when she wakes up?".

Makoto nodded and the two left Hannah to slumber in peace.


	7. The Equalizer

Mr. Roach smiled triumphantly from the girls bathroom of Hogwarts school of witch craft and wizardry.

He had just pulled off one of the greatest infiltrations of all time, just so he could to talk to a bloody ghost.

"Myrtle, I know you're in here sweet heart. How about you come out so we can have ourselves a nice little chat", he bellowed.

"And why would some one like you want to talke to little old me?", asked Myrtle.

"Funny thing about that darling. I asked Harry a similar question when he came into my humble abode. My tune changed when he offered my something in the range of twenty thousand galleons though", said Mr. Roach as he put on his charms.

This got Moaning Myrtle's attention. Its not like she had any interest in money or earthly possession's, but a good story could peak her curiosity

"Why would Harry potter offer you a small fortune Mackenzie, did he take pity on you and all your gambling debts?", Myrtle asked wryly.

"Actually he wants me to track down a dead man, and you are going to help me.", said Roach.

Myrtle smiled as she beheld her old friend.

"Now that the Cheeky bastard I remember. To think I believed the world had gotten the better of you Mackenzie", said myrtle.

"The world woudn't have the balls to mess with me as long as I have you at my side. What do you say we remind the world exactly why ya don't mess with Myrtle and Roach", said .

A rough smile formed on his lips to match Myrtle's.

"What will I possess this time cowboy", said Myrtle with a cheeky grin.

"Same old, same old", muttered Roach.

He pulled an engraved colt from his belt and flipped it around to hand it to myrtle.

Their was a blinding flash of light and myrtle was pulled into the pistol. The etchings of the peacekeeper began to glow with an electric blue intensity. Roach knew the process was complete when he could hear her giggling inside his head.

"Why are you giggling?", Roach asked Myrtle.

"It tickles when you do that", answered Myrtle from with in Roaches head.

"Right then, lets get down to business", the two said in unison.

It was time to kick some ass.


	8. Sinner's Prayer

A lone figure knelt before an altar in the wreckage of a church. Snow swirled around him and the biting cold gnawed at his exposed skin. He paid little head to the storm however as he began to pray. Any normal man would have been consumed by the storm long ago. But he was not like ordinary men.

He continued to pray as a figure approached from the distance. The loud crunching of snow could be heard as the wanderer came ever closer. Yet the man by the altar remained unfazed. He barely moved a muscle until there was the cold barrel of a gun pressed against the back of his head.

The interloper was the first to speak.

The intruder spoke with a voice as gruff as a bear and a demeanor as cold as the blizzard in which they both stood.

" You now why I'm here", spoke the intruder.

It was not a question. There was a harsh certainty in his voice. Every word was spoken with cold conviction. There was no doubt and no offer of repentance. These were the words of Inspector Gomez. These were the words spoken to a murderer of innocents.

"I want you to turn around slowly, I know full well what you are capable of", spoke Gomez.

The man kneeling in the snow arose silently. His raven black hair remained motionless as he ascended to his full height. He then spun around to face Inspector Gomez. The gun in the inspector's hand was now aimed right between his eyes.

"Where's the girl?", Gomez growled.

"Where's the girl?", Gomez Roared .

Gomez then holstered his pistol leaned forward.

"Where is Hannah?, Gomez whispered gently.

Silence reigned among the ruins. The inspector decided to change tactics.

"I know you loved her too. I know that you have cared for her as if she was your own. I know you would rather die than let any one harm her. If you want too ever see her again, I need you to tell me everything you know", said Gomez.

It was then that the man began to cry. He cried for his daughter who he may never see again. He cried for all the innocence lost in this cold and unforgiving world. He cried for Inspector Gomez who loved Hannah as much as he did. He cried for all that he was about to do.

"She was taken from me in the dead of the night", he chocked out.

Gomez drew his gun once again.

"I didn't see who did it, I wasn't fast enough to catch them", he murmured.

Inch by inch the Revolver began to rise.

"That's not all. Whoever did it found the black vault.", he said.

The gun was now pressed up against his head once more.

" I'm sorry for this", said Gomez.

The gun cocked audibly.

"No, I am sorry", spoke the man.

Gomez tried to pull the trigger but it was already to late. The movement was too fast for the eye to catch, but the pain was undeniable as his arm fell limply to his side.

Moment by moment and muscle-by-muscle, Gomez was being systematically brutalized. It was all over in just seven seconds.

The great inspector was left lying on his back, while the sociopath was picking up his gun off the floor.

"You are very good at what you do Inspector", spoke the murderer.

The man walked over to Gomez with the revolver in hand.

"I have just one last request", he said as he knelt down.

The man then placed the revolver on Gomez's chest.

"Find my daughter"

Snow began to fall gently upon the ruins of the burnt out church. One man departed while one remained. The inspector's head spun as he processed all that had just happened. His skin turned pink as the snow melted against his skin. He closed his eyes and fell asleep in the blizzard. If only all his days were this easy.

Tokyo, The past . . .

Usagi and Makoto had just left the apartment to meet up with their friends. They were going to eat ice cream today. Let any seller of frozen dairy products beware.

Little did they realize but another ice cream lover was also en route. A ponytailed martial artist who was in dire need of cheering up.

Things were about to get very interesting.

However . . .

Hogesmeade, The future . . .

"Get Down!", yelled Roach.

Green flashes of light flew over the patron's heads as screams of utter terror filled the air.

Inside of the Hog's Head pub, all hell had broken loose. A shifty portal to another dimension had opened up and several eccentrically dressed Daemons had poured out.

Even worse, several of the customers appeared to have been possessed and were attacking their fellow visitors.

This is why Roach hated going outside. The second he decides to go adventuring, shite like this starts happening.

At least these daemons seemed more focused on collecting energy than killing their victims.

The evil dead wannabes where another matter entirely, they appeared to have no qualms what so ever when it came to casting unforgivable curses.

If only Roach still had his license to kill. Then this would be so much easier.

"Wraaagh!"

Roaches head turned on a swivel to check where that noise had come from.

Standing amidst a pile of unconscious daemons was Hagrid, roaring like a primordial beast. Spells bounced harmlessly off of his thick skin as he pummeled his way forward with blood-drenched hands.

"Go! Get out a ere", Hagrid yelled.

Not one to deny advice from a berserk half giant, Roach took his chance. He began running . . . straight towards the portal.

"Bullocks!", he screamed as he passed through the Gate way to another dimension.

Rather than turning up in the dark kingdom though, he instead was sent to. . .

Tokyo, The past . . .

The doors of the ice cream place flew open and in came Usagi and Makoto.

Makoto as always towered over her friend Usagi. But one thing they did have in common was smiles bright enough to light up a Christmas tree. .

The shop owner felt an disturbance in the force. Today was going to be a busy day. He preemptively checked his supplies of ice cream. He had just gotten a new shipment yesterday. It would not be enough.

The two young ladies went to sit down by their friends: Rei, Ami, and Minako.

Rei was pale with long flowing black hair. Ami had short blue hair. The fifth and final member of the group, Minako, looked a lot like Usagi with straight blond hair.

These were the shop owner's best customers. They were also the reason that he had to restock every weekend. It's a good thing he knew that they were coming so he could prepare his shop. Last week he had to close early after they decimated his meager supply of frozen goods.

The door of the shop opened again and three more people stepped in. A masculine looking woman with short blonde hair, a pretty young woman with blue-green wavy hair, and a younger lady with short black hair.

These new customers took a seat by other group and began to chat with them. Many people had seen this group hanging out together before. What few people knew was that these young women were actually the defenders of Tokyo, the sailor scouts.

They saved the world, fought evil by moonlight, and got together to eat ice cream. Their leader Usagi used to be a ditzy headed crybaby who had trouble killing even a single monster without tuxedo mans help.

She was now a badass leader, who happened to also be a ditz, and could stop eldritch abominations bent on taking over the world.

Recently her boy friend Momaru Chiba had proposed to her. That called for a little celebration, right?

After all Usagi reasoned. She would have to start dieting soon so she could fit into her wedding dress. In a way you could say this was the equivalent of a pre dieting bachelorette party.

Yes, her friends would throw an actual bachelorette party for her later. But at the moment what she wanted was to pig out with her friends. The hot attractive shirtless men grinding on them for a couple bucks could wait until later.

Come to think of it, maybe she should have put Minako in charge of the party instead of Ami. Minako was much better at having fun, although Ami was better at logistics. Perhaps Setsuna would have been a good compromise. She knew more about adult things than any of them.

But all that could wait until later. Right now all she wanted to do was hang out with her buddies and get off on a sugar high.

Then the doors swung open once again and a short pigtailed martial artist stepped in. Just like Usagi, he too had a secret. She was actually a guy.

His name was Ranma Saotome and he was training to be the greatest martial artist there ever was.

It was his purpose in life. It was also half of the reason why he was a girl right now. The other half of the problem was Genma.

Genma Saotome was Ranma's honorable and uncowardly father. He decided to take Ranma on a training trip to a valley filled with pools of cursed water.

They both fell into pools of water. Ranma got cursed with being a girl some of the time, Genma was cursed with becoming a panda some of the time.

The curse is triggered by water. Hot water keeps Ranma a boy while cold water triggers his cursed form.

Thanks to the rain Ranma was now in his cursed form. The only silver lining was that she could eat as much ice cream as he wants without looking unmanly.

Meanwhile, Elsewhere . . .

"FUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-", Screamed Roach.

He had no idea what in the name a Newtonian physics was bloody going on right know.

Strange lights appeared around him and time had ceased to have meaning.

It was like being submerged in a bath of every single known drug imaginable while John Madden and Skeletor had a screaming match inside your head.

The only thing keeping him alive right know was sheer dumb luck. The only thing keeping him sane was Myrtle promising to do extremely painful things to him if he did not behave.

Either the first of the Fallen had decided to remake that trippy part from 2001 a space odyssey, or interdimensional travel was some how even less enjoyable then flying third class.

Not that any of this mattered to Mr. Roach now. Any logical objection he had to the whole situation had been flung out the window when he saw the monopoly man force-feeding Ronald McDonald his own entrails.

"Come back to me you bloody wanker", screamed myrtle.

The Colt pistol holding Myrtles disembodied spirit began to glow brighter as Roach fell deeper into the depths.

"Frak this!", she howled from within her metal prison.

She then possessed Mr. Roach and started to channel all the hatred within her. Mr. Roach's eyes then began to Glow an unnatural blue.

"FUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK", Myrtle roared with thunderous intensity.

She then slammed Mr. Roachs fist into the surrounding area with such force that she created a rip in the fabric of space and time.

"Bullocks!", she and Mr. Roach yelled in unison.

At last they were sent tumbling into real space. Myrtle then released control of Mackenzie as he tumbled to the ground.

"Blimey that hurt", he growled.

"I woudn't have had to do that if you had kept a hold of yourself", she answered back.

"Yeah. Yeah. Hold on a tic? Where are we?", asked Roach.

He then paid closer attention to his surroundings. Lets see, the room has a nice tile floor. That narrows it down a bit.

It also has artificial lighting and a lot of faucets in it. Also there are a lot of stalls in it. This place is probably a bathroom of some kind.

But where are the urinals and why does it smell like perfume? Why is the wet floor sign not in English?

It was upon a deep reflection that the true nature of his predicament hit Mr. Roach like a freight train.

He was in a girls bathroom in a foreign nation. He had no way of explaining his situation to any one he would meet and its not very likely they would believe him even if he could.

It was while these disconcerting facts ran amok through his mind, that the bathroom door opened.

In stepped a pig tailed girl.

Mr. Roach couldn't speak Japanese so he had no idea what the girl was shouting as she came towards him.

If he did speak Japanese then the words would have roughly translated into the phrase Chesnutt Fists.

One thing however did flash through Mr. Roach's mind before the first blow landed.

This was going to hurt.


	9. Captive Audience

Tendo Household, two days prior. . .

Why her? Why her? Why?

Akane asked herself over and over again.

How had this happened? That idiot! That jerk.

She felt sadness. She felt regret. She felt anger, and she felt so betrayed.

He saved her from the Phoenix king. He also nearly married her. Why couldn't she get him out of her head?

Did she really deserve to be reminded of him every night of her life? Did she really deserve to feel this dead inside?

Akane knew she was better than this. Akane thought she was better than this. But all she was, and all that she had ever been, began to come apart at the seams as she bawled her eyes out.

Its not like there was anything she could do about it. He was stronger than her and nothing was going to change that. Did he leave her because she was weak? Was just being herself not enough for him?

No, that's not it. Akane knew that wasn't the reason why Ranma left her. Ranma might be a jerk sometimes but he would never break some one's heart for such a petty reason.

Akane could have blamed shampoo for this, but that wouldn't really be very fair. It was Ranma who had broken up with her and made her feel this way. It was all Ranma's fault.

It had been nearly a year since she had last seen him. He didn't even have the decency to drop by to say hello.

Akane had to admit that Genma swearing to beat some sense into that boy may have something to do with it. His mother Nodaka trying to cut his head off might also have played a factor in his reluctance to return.

Its not like Ranma couldn't have gotten past them if he really felt like it, though. No, he was choosing to stay away.

Ranma hadn't even invited her to see his kid yet. He hadn't even invited her to the wedding.

She was trying so hard to forgive.

If only it were so easy.

Tokyo, one day prior…

Ranma was getting restless. He was a father now and he had a family to take care of.

He was a father and he wasn't even twenty years old yet.

He refused to back down from this challenge. Saotome's don't give in.

Ranma wasn't a Saotome any more though. His family had disowned him when he refused to get together with Akane.

Genma did not take it very well. Soun was even worse. Upon hearing the news he had fallen into a catatonic state that lasted for several days. He still has yet to fully recover from the shock.

Ever since then, Ranma had been taking job after job in an attempt to help support Shamps.

His latest search had been a pyrrhic victory.

He had found a job that paid well but was extremely embarrassing.

He had found work as a maid.

The journey to this place had been a long one and he wasn't even all the way their yet.

The work didn't start until Monday so he planned to scout the area and get a rough lay of the land.

He was jumping from roof top to roof top when he heard yelling.

Ranma stopped on top of the roof he was currently on and looked around for what had made the noise.

A shrill whistle could be heard from a nearby window. Ranma closed in to investigate.

After jumping though the window, he found himself face to face with a very emasculate looking biker. He couldn't help be reminded of Konatsu and Ukyo, as he looked at this guy.

If said biker in question was a guy that is, not that it really mattered to Ranma. His various adventures had made him among the more tolerant super natural martial artists out and about in the world.

The biker cut right to the chase, " I got some where I have to be really quick. If you get my there fast I will make it worth your while", they said.

Normally Ranma would have jumped at an opportunity like this, but he wasn't sure how far away the biker lived. The request was simple enough, but many of Ranma's adventures had small beginnings.

The last thing Ranma wanted to do was get himself involved in some long and elaborate misunderstanding that would result in him being late for his first day at work.

Ranma was seriously thinking about turning down their offer, but then they said " Unless you think your too weak for it kid".

It was so on. Before the biker knew what was happening Ranma had flung them onto his shoulders in a fireman carry position. He then started jumping from roof top to roof top, going faster and faster.

He had taken the liberty of reading the bikers chi before he grabbed her. These days he had gotten so good that he could even read trace amounts of Chi on objects a person had touched, from kilometers away.

He found a large spot of her Chi and was heading straight towards that. He was so focused on getting there that he did not notice the gathering storm.

When the first drop lets hit her skin Ranma let out a high-pitched yelp. This wasn't something she normally did. It must have been knee jerk reaction of some kind to changing while carrying some one who she did not want to find out about his curse.

Now she really showed the biker the meaning of speed as she began test herself to her limits. She then dropped her off and began to walk away.

She could feel the biker staring at her as she walked away. Did the biker know?

Ranma supposed that it didn't really matter know. After all that she had been through, being called a freak wasn't really that bad.

Darn. He had only got a couple yen to send home to Shamps today, he hoped that would be enough.

He felt bad about cologne having to help support them while he searched for a good job. There are few things on this earth more embarrassing then having to accept financial support from your mother in law.

Maybe Nodoka was right for trying to kill him. The contract had mentioned he would have to die if he was unmanly, and he sure didn't feel like he was very manly right know.

Ranma felt conflicted, as he had to choose between doing the honorable thing and the right thing over and over again. Before he always tried to do the honorable thing and the right thing. At least, he would try and do what he thought was right and honorable at the time.

Looking back at his life he had made a lot of stupid mistakes because his pride got in the way. He knew that he would keep on making stupid mistakes because of his own Hubris. But when it came to Shamps and his new little girl, he refused to let anything get in the way of supporting them to the best of his ability.

If that meant starving himself and working as a maid for some stuck up rich family, then so be it. At least he knew he wasn't working for the Kuno's. Now that would be a nightmare.

Ranma could not even comprehend what would happen if Kuno ever saw his "pigtailed princess" in a maid costume. The very Idea sent shivers down his spine.

Then Ranma's stomach growled.

He was not willing to spend of the money he had just got from his delivery job. However he did see an ice cream shop when he was scouting the area earlier. Perhaps he could flirt with the owner until they gave him some free ice cream.

Some times being turned into a girl against your will did have its advantages.

Tokyo, present…

Roach had just been beaten within an inch of his life. It felt like he had been stuck a hundred times in the same spot even though it looked like the girl had only hit him once.

Never before had the detective wished he had a translator ring that would allow him to say "It's not what it looks like", but that would have really come in handy right about know.

"Do something", yelled myrtle from within his head.

Roach made a soft gurgling noise. Perhaps one of his lungs had caved in.

"Do I have to everything around here", thought myrtle.

The electric blue emanating from the etchings on the revolver-carrying myrtle changed color slightly. The gun then went off of its own accord and the magic bullet it fired defied the laws of physics in order to take out the lights in the bathroom.

Then the revolver began to glow with further intensity before going dark. Myrtle had switched bodies from the revolver to Mr. Roach once again.

Well aware of the fact that the glowing blue eyes would give away where they were, she closed them the moment she took control.

She then executed a power slide right between where the pigtailed martial artist had been.

Myrtle then gave back control of the body to Mackenzie as he unceremoniously slammed into the door.

The noise gave away his position to the pig tailed martial artist who leaped straight towards them.

Mr. Roach could hear the fist slamming straight through the restroom door and felt a little sick as he realized exactly what might have happened to him had he not been crouching by the bottom of the door.

He could hear screaming coming from the other side of the restroom door. Shite.

They must have heard the gunshot and he doubted having a fist explode through the door moments later was helping the situation.

As adrenaline coursed through his body he pulled open the door with all his strength and slid his way through the gap he had created.

What he saw when he got to the other side was among the strangest things he had ever seen.

Straight ahead of him were about nine young ladies in sailor uniforms with different color schemes. One of them was wielding a sword and another one was wielding a freaking glaive.

Mr. Roach had no intention at all of being penetrated by one of those things.

He hadn't been in a situation this bad since that one time he accidentally slept with a banshee (long story).

The blond one with ridiculous hair buns that looked kind of like meat balls, was the first to speak.

"Stop right their. It's not right to sneak into girls bathrooms and shoot guns which are loud and scare people, in the name of the moon I will punish you", said Sailor moon.

"Shite", said Mr. Roach aloud.

It was at this moment that female pigtailed martial artist was able to free her self from the door. It exploded into hundred of fragments as a red battle aura started to swirl around her malevolently.

Mr. Roach could hear the door explode behind him. He then decided to sprint past the arranged magical girls and head out the exit of the restaurant.

His reasoning behind this was that he did not know if the forces arranged ahead of him were planning on hurting him or not. Mean while he was pretty sure that if that pig tailed martial artist behind him was very intent on hurting him.

His escape was cut short when a chain flew from one of the Magical girls hands and wrapped around him.

"Venus love me chain", yelled out sailor Venus as her attack wound its way around its target.

"Bullocks!", responded Mr. Roach.

"What do you have to say for yourself?", asked their leader sailor moon.

Mr. Roach was unsure if they could understand him. Although for some reason he was able to understand them quite well. Were they some kind of eastern magicals? Perhaps they had universal translators of some kind built into their ridiculous uniforms.

Any way he was a little bit too distracted to answer her question right know because he was trying to dodge spoons being thrown towards him at terminal velocity. How could that pig tailed martial artist throw them so hard?

To Mr. Roach this was a matter of life and death. He was well aware that he probably looked ridiculous as he hopped back and forth while tied up like a caterpillar in its cocoon.

Yes, he did look very ridiculous. In fact the whole situation had been so distracting that the rest of the magical girls had forgotten to state their names and mention how they too were going to punish him.

After about three whole minutes of watching the spectacle unfold, one of them finally stepped for ward to stop it.

"I am sailor Uranus, here to usher in a . . . . you know what, screw it. Lets just cut the crap all ready", sailor Uranus said.

She pointed at Mr. Roach who was still dodging sliver ware thrown with extreme prejudice.

"You, your coming with us", she began.

Then Uranus pointed at the short pigtailed martial artist. She stopped and stared for a moment as she realized that she was the pig tailed girl she had seen earlier.

She then shook her head and continued.

"You, stop that and get out of here. We will be the ones who deal with him", said Uranus coldly.

Ranma then stopped his deadly barrage and let his arms fall to his side. His nostrils were still flaring. Ranma did not appreciate it when guys perved on him, not in the least.

He was still a guy for crying out loud. Just because he was sometimes a girl was no excuse for guys to sneak into the girls' bathroom to take a peak at him.

After a few more seconds of looking extremely pissed, Ranma decided to make her exit.

She didn't even care that she hadn't eaten yet. All she wanted to do was get out of here and change back into a guy as soon as possible.

Ranma hated being in Girl form this long. It made him feel strange and uncomfortable.

He was a guy damn it!

Any way he walked out the door and left.

With her out of the way, Uranus then turned back towards their captive.

"Now that that's settled, what are we going to do with you?", asked sailor Uranus.

Mr. Roach gulped as he felt nine pairs of eyes stair at him intently.

"I am getting too old for this shite", was his only response.

Then the one with the blue hair spoke up, "Tell us everything and start from the beginning. I am observing your vital signs right now and I can tell if you are lying. Trust me when I say that telling the truth is in your best interest", said sailor Mercury.

"Alright", began Mr. Roach, "but you might want to sit your pretty little arse's down".

"Because this", he said, " is going to be a long story".


	10. The Strangler

London, the Future . . .

Gomez was crying.

He stood in front of a badly scared grave marker. Bellow him lay the only friend he had ever known, the only man he had ever trusted, the only man he had ever loved.

"Rest in peace, Cornwallis", said Gomez.

Gomez took a deep breath and balled his hands into fists tightly till his knuckles turned white. His brutish hands accidentally crushed the poppies he had intended to leave on his beloved's grave.

"They took Hannah", spoke Gomez venomously.

Tears roared down his face once more. The bear of a man on was on the verge of being brought to his knees by the sheer enormity of his own regret.

He remained silent for a full minute before he was able to compose himself enough to continue.

"When you died, I know I promised to protect her. I swore upon my life that not a single hair would be harmed on that little babes head", he spoke even as his voice became hoarse.

"She meant so much to me . . . I can't describe it. She was all that was left to remind me of you"

The old inspector stopped for a moment and stared deeply into the earth.

"But I'm not strong like you were. I knew it was selfish of me to try and raise her myself. She deserved better, you deserved better"

His hand lingered a moment on his revolver, oh how he wanted to see his old friend once again.

"I gave her to the man I hated more than any one else on this earth. A man more dangerous then Enigma, a man even monsters fear"

His voice then quieted to a whisper

"Who could get to her then, what could get to her then?"

That was the question. That was what Gomez wanted to know, what he needed to know.

The old inspector then remained silent to pay his respects to his old partner.

The clouds above the graveyard parted slightly and a ray of light came down upon a neighboring grave.

The grave read R.R. Murphy.

Gomez had no bloody idea who that was. But it looked awful symbolic and important nonetheless.

It was an inspiring symbol of hope, which said that although things might seem dark, in the end it'd be all right.

At least it would be if the light had fallen upon Cornwallis's grave instead. However that part of the graveyard remained cold and desolate.

"Figures", said Gomez to himself, "course I always did my best work in the dark any ways".

With that deep and thoughtful remark, the inspector left the graveyard.

Tokyo, the past . . .

"Alright", said the captive Inspector Mackenzie.

"We'll start with the basics"

He was the only one sitting up at this point. All of the inners plus sailor Saturn had decided to take a seat on the floor.

Meanwhile Neptune had decided to sit down at a nearby chair, while Uranus remained standing with her sword drawn.

Mr. Roach decided to glance over to each member of his collected audience before continuing his story.

If he had to guess, any one of them would be able to take him out on their own. As it was his best chance for survival was to keep them distracted.

He was actually pretty impressed that the one with blue hair continued to hold that scanning device on him even after she had sat down for story time.

"So basically in England there are wizards who live in an society separate from us normals", Said Roach.

Sailor Venus raised her hand that she was not using to hold her Venus love me chain.

"Questions will have to wait until the story is over", he said.

Sailor Venus reluctantly lowered her hand.

"As I was saying there is a society of wizards who live separate from us muggles. They also go to special wizarding schools where they learn magic and other useless stuff", said Roach.

His audience looked like they wanted to ask him several questions on the subject, but kept quite nonetheless.

"The headmaster of one of these wizarding schools was Albus Dumbledore, you've probably never even heard of him. Probably doesn't even matter really", he continued.

One or two of the Senshi were now holding back their questions with such effort that they looked like they had to go to the bathroom.

"Any ways one of his former students wanted me to track down his ghost and paid me a small fortune to do so. Then later on I ended up being attacked by Daemons", said Mr. Roach nonchalantly.

Sailor Venus looked like a constipated blowfish at the moment as she held back a tidal wave of queries through sheer force of will.

Mr. Roach then said, " Then I hopped into a portal, Myrtle ripped a whole in the fabric of reality, and I got beat up by a little girl", with the same speed as a infomercial for a pharmaceutical product going over its side effects.

Then Sailor Venus exploded (not literally, this time), " How come I never saw any wizards going around London when I lived there? What's the name of the wizarding school? Do you have to be wizard to go there or can eastern magic users go there too? Who is the name of the former student who hired you? Is he cute? Can I meet him? Do wizards have phone numbers? You were attacked by Daemons? Why did you end up in a girls bathroom?", said Venus in the verbal ejaculation equivalent of a Bukake.

Mr. Roach was stunned after being drenched in so many questions.

It was as tried to get his wits about him that Myrtle mentally asked, "Did you get that?".

Mr. Roach then accidentally yelled aloud, "No, I did not get that you cheeky wanker!", at a thunderous volume.

The silence that followed was truly stunning.

After a long and awkward interval of time, Sailor mercury looked at her hand held Mercury computer to see what it said.

"He is telling the truth. However I think we should keep him under custody until we know for certain he is not a threat", said Sailor Mercury.

Sailor Venus then yanked his chain.

"Where are we going to take him?", asked Sailor Mars.

"Wait, let me guess. The shrine", she said to answer her own question.

"I am afraid so", said Sailor moon.

"Fine", said sailor Mars.

"Well know that everything is dealt with. I guess we can just go now", said Sailor moon.

"Uhhh….", she began with to show her wisdom.

" Mars and Venus, you take him back to the shrine. Every one else is free to go", said Sailor moon.

The inners then got up and dusted off their uniforms while the outers got ready to leave once Saturn got up.

"Time to go then", said Minako after tugging on the chain a couple times.

"Yeah", said Sailor Mars.

'What did I do to deserve this?', thought Mr. Roach to himself.

"Well for starters . . .", began Myrtle within his head.

'Okay. Okay, I was just kidding. In know full well what I did to deserve this', admitted Roach.

Some times, Karma is a real bitch.

Japan, the past . . .

There are few things in the Galaxy stealthier than an unclothed post human killing machine diplomat who is trying their hardest not to be seen.

Luna was so close to actually succeeding at something for once. That is why she knew it was only a matter of time before everything went to shi-

"What are you doing?", asked Akane.

Luna's first heart started beating faster then a Galilean in close combat.

"Hello there", said the very nervous superhuman.

Akane Tendo had just stumbled across a short brunette girl covered in blood, ash, and nothing else.

Her mind was trying very desperately to formulate a response that did not involve hitting Ranma Saotome for being a pervert. It was trying, and failing.

"I'll just be going then", said Luna.

She then stalked off into the wilderness and continued her journey through the shadows.

Tokyo, the past . . .

There was a knock at the door.

"Oh no", said Hannah as she tumbled out of bed.

She quickly re oriented herself and ran to go answer the door.

Little did she know that the person on the other side had a key.

The resulting collision resulted in copious amounts of blood and two bodies tumbling over each other.

"Who are . . .", began Momaru Chiba before he gripped his stomach in pain.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I am so sorry!", squealed Hannah in embarrassment.

"Never mind", grunted Momaru angrily, "Just help me up".

Hannah quickly hopped to her feet and lent out her hand to pull him up.

As he reached out with one hand Hannah noticed some bloody bandages underneath his coat.

After pulling him up a tad too forcefully she hustled back into the apartment and headed straight for her pack.

As Momaru tried to regain his balance he noticed several loud noises emanating from the appartment.

No sooner had he stepped foot into the apartment then he was face to face with the chipper brunette girl.

"Now", she began with a smile, "Just lay down on that bed over there", she said with fake authority.

"I'll be the doctor, and you will be the patient", she said.

Momaru did not have time to respond as she dragged him into the bedroom and threw him onto the bed.

"No need to worry", she said serenely.

"I have done this at least a dozen times before", she said.

She then set down a medical kit and pulled out a large syringe.

"In case you want to ask me what my name is when you wake up", she said with a grin.

"Hannah, my name is Hannah" she said.

"And you", she purred happily, "can tell me your name when you recover".

It was at this time when Makoto and Usagi chose to enter the apartment.

Hannah's head spun around as she injected the pain killer into Momaru.

"Oh. Hello there Mrs. Kino" said Hannah.

Usagi's eyes flew open in terror, and then she began to scream.

Hannah's day just got a lot more complicated.

Poland, The Future . . .

This is the place.

This is the place where they all died. A bittersweet smile crawled its way up his face.

It was ever so kind of them to kill each other. You know what they say, the enemy of my enemy is my . . .

No! That kind of thinking would bring his old self back, his strong self back, the monster back.

For her sake he must keep the monster at bay. He had fought against it for sixteen years; he wouldn't let it win now.

The raven-haired man forced himself to focus. He had a lot of ground to cover and so little time.

His control slipped slightly as he moved freely once again. His body writhing like a snake as he forced his way through rubble. His eyes peered through the darkness and he sucked in the cold dank air.

There was where one man had been eaten. Over, a bit further was where another had lost their life. He still remembered the noises they made in their dying moments.

No, there was no point in remembering those things. Let the dead memories lie, and do what must be done.

It was just where he had left it. How convenient. The obsidian and enigmatic metal glimmered faintly even without a light source for it to reflect.

His old self valued little besides agony and revenge, oh how sweet that revenge had been. Now those were noises worth remembering.

No . . . he still had work to do. He stuffed the power cores in his pocket and left that accursed place behind.

He was playing with fire and he knew it. Under any other circumstances he never would have come here.

This was for his daughter.

Let the dead memories lie, and the bridges burn.

He was not that man any more.

He was something much, much worse.

Tokyo, the past . . .

She had to think on her feat now. Her patients every life depended on what she would do next. So she formulated a brilliant plan.

"It's not what it looks like!", she blurted out loud.

The screaming stopped, good.

"I was just helping your friend here settle down", she lied and made the situation even worse by turning to Momaru's unconscious body and saying, "isn't that right".

Her moving his head up and down did little to calm down Usagi.

Instead Usagi had gone into what appeared on the outside to be a state of shock.

"Oh. No, he's bleeding out", yelled Hannah.

She then set to work stitching up his wound with a look of determination on her face.

However Usagi did not hear the words she said.

All that she could see was her boyfriend covered in his own blood.

It all felt so familiar to her, yet so foreign at the same time.

This was only supposed to happen to her as sailor moon. She had no magic to attack the monster in front of her with.

So instead Usagi walked forward slowly, and started choking a bitch out.

First the left hand close around the back of her neck, then the right one.

The girl was so focused on finishing up the last stich that she didn't even notice, until it was too late.

"NO ONE TOUCHES MY BOYFRIEND", roared Usagi as Makoto tried to pull her off.

"This isn't you Usagi. Please, please stop", begged Makoto with tears in her eyes as she held her friend from behind.

Usagi's arms fell limp by her side.

It was over.


	11. Dark Naru

Tokyo, the past. . .

Another bright sunny day in Tokyo, oh what a beautiful day it was. The sunshine warmed the skin and the breeze eased the mind. The quiet hustle and bustle of the streets sang its simple song.

It was such a beautiful day, for Naru to be stuck behind a desk managing her mothers jewelry store.

This was a serious responsibility, a sign that her mother trusted her, and a major omen that she was going to spend the rest of her days in utter boredom.

It wasn't her mother's fault that this had happened. Her mother had only forgotten to take the pill once.

That one wonderfully serendipitous mistake was the reason why Naru would no longer be an only child. It was also the reason why Naru's mother was visiting her family to tell everyone the good news in person, without her.

Okay, here comes a new customer. How exciting. Why did this customer look so familiar? Was green her natural color? Why was she staring at Naru like that?

Ohhh poor Naru, get ready for a pinch of hate and a world of hurt, because Dumbly Dore is on the scene and he digs Setsunna's style. They always did say that imitation was the sincerest form of flattery. Nothing quite like a dose of poly juice potion and four grams of Colombian marching powder to create an unholy recipe for catastrophe, ready or not here she comes.

With an enigmatic smile, looks that could kill, fashionable business wear and an aura of mystery, Naru's first customer of the day entered her shop.

A chill spiraled down Naru's back as those cold eyes fell upon her.

Naru tried to be brave, why were her knee's feeling so weak all of the sudden?

"What can I get for you today?", asked Naru.

She was so beautiful, yet danger lurked beneath those eyes and secrets whispered out of her shadow.

Naru felt her breath quicken and her palms begin to sweat. Who was this woman? What was this woman?

" I am looking for a gift for a friend. I have known her for a very long time, longer than perhaps you may believe."

Naru nodded.

"I think I have just the thing", she bluffed.

She walked out from behind the counter and carefully viewed the various gems arranged for viewing pleasure. After careful consideration she finally found something worthy of her customers request.

It was a diamond ring of monstrous beauty. Its sirens call could be felt by any foolish enough to blemish it with their touch. Its perfection was sickeningly complete and unalterable. Even its own maker could not comprehend what forces gave birth to it. Only the darkest denizens of the dimension of torment could even begin to understand its true value, yet it was 50% off.

"I think this will do nicely", said Naru with a grin.

She reached for the ring carefully, as if afraid to be burnt by its touch. She then brought it back to the counter with as much delicacy as she could manage.

The temperature in the room dropped by several degrees as shadows shifted imperceptibly.

Without a single word the woman placed the money on the counter and took the ring. She then slid an envelope onto the table and departed swiftly.

Naru stared at the money arranged in front of her; it was perfectly counted out despite their being no price tag on the ring. Then there was the pink envelope, an envelope with her name on it.

Within it was a black quill, an omen of the exquisite nightmares to come.

Podkemennaya Tunguska River, the past . . .

It was fucking cold.

Really, really fucking cold.

Yes, it was rather cold.

It was also the source of a massive spike in dark energy that Dumbledore could feel all the way from Japan.

As the elderly wizard froze his non-existent balls off, she tried to think pleasant thoughts. Like sailor Pluto having her entrails torn out and fed to dogs. Perhaps he should use Rottweiler's; on the other hand he was rather partial to Corgis.

The dark and terrible wizard continued to shiver helplessly in the cold.

The Russian winter and a short skirt was not a winning combination.

It took seven fracking hours to find that good for nothing pussycat in the snow. How could a black tentacle covered eldritch abomination with a feline fetish be so hard to find?

"Wraaaaaaaaaagh!", he roared into the heavens.

Stupid tentacle monsters, why had he not realized this would happen?

Tokyo, the past . . .

"Hello?", spoke Naru unto the darkness.

"Hello", answered back the shadows of the night.

Eyes burning like hot embers, hairless skin like a newborn, and the body of a cat.

It stepped into the light so she may behold its true and terrible form.

Naru recoiled from its presence, nearly slamming into her bed as she did so.

"Don't be afraid of the dark", it spoke with a soft growl, " true monsters are those who hide behind the light".

Naru tried to speak, to scream. The cold silenced her, changed her, and altered her irrevocably.

"I . . . I am not afraid of you", she said bravely.

"Why should you be, I am merely here to help"

"How can I trust you?"

"How can you not, I have nothing to gain from harming a young girl. All I wish is for you to become stronger, to make you whole again"

Naru was not longer shaking, yet she kept her eyes leveled at the beast. Unwilling to trust a horror that wriggled out of shadows and formed itself from thin air.

"How are you going to help me?", she asked.

"The envelope you received today, it contains a part of me. I am two parts of the same whole. To become complete once more, part of me must bond with a host. I am a symbiotic organism, I am a mistake, and I am a monster that feeds upon what goes bump in the night", it spoke.

Naru stood in her pajamas as she took it all in. After a long moment of silence, she finally walked over to her table and opened the envelope.

The black quill within was cold to the touch. Its bristles moved slightly as Naru touched them, and then . . . Nothing.

"I am afraid you are not yet strong enough to host me, young one. I will not take a host who cannot sustain me. I will not risk the life of one who is not ready for the task", it said.

A bitter smile formed on Naru's lips as she beheld the black quill.

"However", the monster began, " I can sense that you are the one. You merely require more practice. All you must do is train you body and your spirit. You have a good heart but there is no fire left behind you eyes".

It then told her, "If you want to send back the shadows of the night, then you must become stronger. I will help you, I will change you, I will make you whole once more",

"Are you afraid of the darkness?", asked Naru.

"Not anymore", said the horror, "for I have finally found a light".

Kusoge HQ, the past . . .

"How are the preparations coming along?", asked the woman.

The faceless corporate lawyer stood there momentarily in silence.

"Amicably", it spoke.

A smile formed on the corporate woman's lips.

"Good, we can now move onto phase twelve", she said.

The light in the office flickered slightly. She had recently installed energy efficient light bulbs. If there is one thing a Youma understood it was the importance of ENERGY.

"That will be all Lestor, I have other things to attend to", she said.

The featureless cold-blooded monster then gave a bow and left after picking up its Italian leather brief case.

The great and terrible leader of this company let out a sigh. She had come so far and struggled for so long, yet it never seemed to get any easier.

First there was the nightmare of settling down and starting a business. The bureaucracy of this country took things very seriously.

Oh, and then there was finding qualified applicants. For the humans she had to set up proper facilities and borrow money so she could pay their salaries. For the Youma she had to organize regular "team outings" so they could feast off of other energy sources than their fellow co-workers.

Don't even get her started about how conservative her fellow CEO's in the pharmaceutical industry were. The old men made decisions at a glacial rate. She had given up on any cooperation with them a long time ago.

That left her with foreign companies. The American industry reminded her a bit of the dark kingdom, although that did not make it any easier at all. Beneath its pleasant appearance it was filled to the brim with betrayal, shady business deals, and a dog eat dog mentality that ensured she had to check every other month if a company still existed.

Yet she new it would all be worth it in the end. After all the great enemy only went after Beryl because she had been so obvious about every thing. If Carnelian just kept her head down, then everything would be all right.

Besides, sleeping pills were supposed to make people fall asleep. As long as no one held a scanner up to one of her products, no one would even know.

It wasn't like she was planning an invasion or anything. Yes, she wanted to take over the world. However she would do it through fare trade and business conscious management.

After all, most sleeping medication had far worse side affects then stealing a bit of energy. It was almost like she was one of the good guys.

Who in their right mind would try and stop her?

Tokyo, the past . . .

Dumbledore waited outside the warehouse.

Black and red sailor outfit, check. Oversized key, check. Currently in the form of his most hated enemy, check.

Time to show these amateurs how a real villain cause's property damage.

Dumbledore raised the key above his head and then brought it down in a brutal downward strike.

"OH YEAH!", he yelled as he burst through the wall.

All the Youma packaging the crates of sleeping pills looked up.

A sailor Senshi, an obviously mentally disturbed sailor Senshi, in their warehouse, man they hated Mondays.

"Oh no. Oh no! Oh Metalia why?", screamed the nearest deamon as Dumbledore brought the pain.

Evil laughter erupted as bodies vaporized, ashes flew and the delightful noises of the dying reverberated through the air.

"What did we ever do to you?", asked the lone survivor.

Dumbledore then slammed the key into the earth. It stood upright, firmly embedded into several inches of industrial strength concrete.

She was smiling, oh yes she was. Dumbledore walked forward to give his last masterpiece a more personal touch. A white glove pierced the daemon's chest cavity and it began to scream.

"It's quite simple my dear. I am a guardian of the light, and this is my favorite part", she said pleasantly.

The hand twisted around inside as the screams grew ever louder. Then the Sailor Pluto look alike let out a grunt as the hand pierced straight through. The Youma crumbled to dust.

"Another victory for the light", she said.

Dumbledore then set the factory ablaze and disappeared into the night. She had done enough good deeds for one day.

Kusoge HQ, the past . . .

There was a knock at the door.

"Come in", said the CEO

As short intern with bags under his eyes came in.

"What is it?", asked the CEO.

The intern was visible shaking now. Then he quite visible wet himself as he tried in vain to force the words out.

"Calm down boy", said the CEO, "now take a seat and tell me what's the matter ", said the CEO.

"Some one killed all the laborers packaging the sleeping pills", blurted out the unpaid intern.

The CEO froze and she stared towards him dumbfounded. Had she misheard him? Who could have done such a thing besides the –

"The sailor Senshi did it", he blurted out again.

The intern was starting to panic. It was never a good idea to be the bearer of bad news. His small and lithe frame was frozen stiff with fear as the CEO's eyes began to twitch.

"What? What? WHAT!", screamed the CEO.

She stood up and pointed her finger at the boy.

"How did this happen? Where was the security? What did your superiors do to stop it? WHY?", she screamed hysterically.

The intern lost bowel control and held up their hands as they closed their eyes.

"Please don't hurt me Mrs. Carnelian, it was sailor Pluto. She did this. There were no survivors", squealed the intern.

The CEO's eyes flew wide and her skin blanched. She then fell back into her chair with an undignified crash.

"Go, leave me", Commanded the CEO.

The intern leaped out of their chair and ran for the door. As the intern was turning the knob he heard the CEO make one last request.

"Bring me a glass of vodka in thirty minutes, I'll need it", said the CEO.

Today had been a long day.

Tokyo, the past . . .

"Morning, Naru", spoke a scratchy voice.

Naru's eyes flew open. That voice was so familiar, could it be? No, Aunt Lynda lived in the Bronks. How could she be in Japan?

"Wake up Naru, I made Pancakes for ya", Said the woman who smoked half a pack of Marlboro's.

Yep, it was her.

"What are you doing here Lynda?", asked Naru as she got out of bed.

"Waking you up sweet heart"

"School doesn't start for another two hours"

"Oh, well I wanted to talk to ya"

Aunt Lynda sat down on the bed to talk to Naru. The one side of the bed lifted several inches off the ground as she did so. Aunt Lynda was a rather large woman. A big boned woman with wrinkles and dyed red hair. In addition she had a penchant for wearing clothing three sizes too small.

Naru knew why Aunt Lynda was here. No one liked aunt Lynda. She was an ex con and she smelled like cigarettes. The family viewed her as a waste of space. She had no job, no kids, and a large collection of unpleasant associates.

Naru could only remember seeing aunt Lynda once before. Back when Naru was a little girl, Aunt Lynda came to visit once. She liked to bounce Naru on her knee. She also had a habit of trying to pass off her thinly anecdotes as fairy tales while she tucked Naru into bed.

Naru still remembered the tale of how the sly princess tricked the Hispanic wizard out of his angel dust.

"Your mom told me ya have a boy friend know. I am here to be your chaperone and make sure there's no funny business", said Lynda.

Naru blushed. Her and Umino were close but they would never do anything like that. She didn't need her aunt who had served time behind bars to keep her under control.

"Any ways", said Lynda, "Ya better eat and get ready to go to school. You ain't gonna be late on my watch", said Aunt Lynda.

Naru obediently began to get ready. She had little desire to find out how they handled back talk or disobedience in the Bronks.

As she got dressed and waved goodbye to her aunt, a smile crept onto Naru's face. Maybe things were going be all right after all.

Not bloody likely.


	12. Strange Request

Tokyo, the past . . .

Some times a true hero must lay everything on the line for the sake of those they love, and wear a frilly maid costume.

It was Ranma's turn to face real life consequences and become a maid for some rich family to help support his wife shampoo.

Ranma nearly jumped when the door flew open. Within was a beautiful and proper young woman with greenish blue hair. She was beautiful; it took Ranma a moment to catch her breath.

"You must be the maid", said Michuru.

This new maid was certainly beautiful.

"Tell me a bit about yourself", said Michuru.

The teenage girl who was actually a guy martial artist in a maid costume looked slightly uncomfortable.

"My name is Ranko. I have too work in order to help support my family. I don't have a last name, my mom and dad took it after I married my fiancée", said Ranma with near brutal honesty.

This was a lot of information too take in. Michuru was unsure whether or not she had misheard her when she said fiancée.

However she wasn't hiring based on looks or family history. Time too see if the new girl could clean.

"I have a strange request for you", began Michuru.

Ranma looked even more uncomfortable now.

"I want you to clean another persons house", finished Michuru.

"Oh, that's it. Uhhh where do you want me to clean?", the red haired maid asked.

"A friend of mines apartment. She had a little bit of trouble last night. I should probably tell you that the person who caused the trouble could return at any moment", warned Michuru.

Ranma nodded, unfazed.

"I'll have my beloved give you a ride there", said Michuru.

Then Haruka walked in through the door and took off her motorcycle helmet.

"Oh, its you again.", said Haruka.

Ranma then put two and two together. This was the biker he had given a "ride" back home to a day ago. Of course she would end up working for a girl like that.

Then Michuru put two and two together. This was that crazy martial arts girl who was throwing cutlery at that creepy wizard. Did she know their secret identities? Were they going to have to kill her?

"Lets get going", said Ranma.

The two hopped onto Haruka's motorcycle and fled the scene.

Tokyo, earlier that day . . .

It was four in the morning. Ropes snapped and wood buckled while a chipper voice shrieked, "I am going to be late for school".

Ignoring the bloodstains and signs of struggle, the young brown haired youth began to get dressed.

There was movement coming from the bedroom. That's not good. Hannah wasn't sure if Mrs. Kino was still mad about yesterday. She didn't have time to find out.

With a flurry of movement she pulled on her North High school uniform. She refused to be late for her first day at school. Going to a school many miles away from where she lived was no excuse to be late. She would not be denied a proper education.

There was only one school that would take her and she was not about to look a gift horse in the –

"Oh no", she mumbled.

Mrs. Kino had woken up, better to double-time it. She grabbed her badly mangled school bag and got out there with break neck speed.

Tokyo, the past . . .

This is the place.

The door swung open and they witnessed the devastation.

Blood stains splotched the floor and a there was a shattered chair in the middle of the room.

Ranma set to work immediately. He naturally hated messes. It didn't matter if he had broken into your apartment or not, if he saw a mess she was cleaning it.

Haruka stood back and watched the show as the room began to regain its former glory.

After several minutes it was already done.

"What happened?", asked Ranma.

Haruka shrugged her shoulders.

"Were not quite sure yet", she said.

She then continued, "Oh, and by the way your hired".

Ranma couldn't help but smile. He could finally support his family like a real man.

If only his mother could see him now.

On second thought, maybe it's for the best that she didn't.

Meanwhile at the Osaka residence, a large boned woman was waiting for her niece to come home. Lynda was not proud of what she had done and she knew there was no changing the past. Was it too much to ask for a second chance? All she wanted to do was make things right.

She released a puff of smoke as her niece walked through the door. She then put out her cigarette by pressing it onto her calloused right hand. It had gone numb years ago and her skin was thick, she was a fighter after all.

Her niece was tired from a long day at school. Aunt Lynda respected her for that. If only she had gotten a proper education like that then maybe she wouldn't have been such a wreck. Then again her family wasn't as socially affluent as the one that adopted her sister. There is also the fact that the Bronks isn't exactly the best learning environment in the world.

"Did you have a good day at school dear?", Lynda wheezed.

"Yeah", said Naru.

Something wasn't right. Aunt Lynda knew that something must have been keeping her little angel up. Was she being bullied? Aunt Lynda couldn't imagine any reason why kids would want to pick on some one as wonderful as her niece, but kids are anything but logical.

"Naru, this weekend I'm gonnna teach ya how to defend yourself. You need to get stronger so that people's cants pick on ya's anymore", Huffed out Lynda.

Naru looked up at her aunt. That kind hearted mass of scarred and wrinkly flab which smelled like cigs.

"What would you know about fighting?", she asked.

"What are ya talkin bout. We is natural fighters in this family. But if ya wanna talk about experience, then I could tell you about how I grew up on the streets. If ya wanna talk about toughness, I could mention that all my Jail time made me tough as nails. But if you are asking me about fighting prowess, then I will have you know I was a pretty good foxy boxer back in my day. I could knock a bitch's teeth out like she was made out of China glass", bragged Lynda.

"Okay", said Naru.

"That settles it then. This weekend you and I are gonna get back into shape", said aunt Lynda.

She then poked Naru in the chest and said, "I'm gonna make a woman out you".

Maddam, I'll make a ***** out of you!

Meanwhile at the shrine . . .

"So basically there are rumors that one of us broke into a warehouse and massacred a bunch of under paid workers . . . ", began Ami.

"What?", exclaimed Mina.

"I said that there are rumors one of us-", Ami tried to continue.

"No one here would ever do anything like that", said Usagi.

Then every eye in the room drifted idly to either Haruka or Michuru.

"It wasn't us either. I was too busy interviewing the new maid we hired", said Haruka.

That explanation killed any further questions. Except for Hotoru who seemed surprised by this turn of events.

"We have a new maid?", she asked.

"Yeah, she's that martial artists that you all met earlier at the ice cream shop", said Haruka.

All of the inner Senshi started trading looks. Haruka, the one who was supposed to be the most paranoid out of any of them when it came to threats, had hired a psycho maid. Next thing you know she will be saying that she slept with the villain who attacked Usagi's Mamoru.

"This is, interesting news. Thank you for enlightening us.", said Ami.

Ami then tried to get every ones attention once again back to the real reason why they were here.

"I got as close to the warehouse as possible earlier and I scanned it. I detected large amounts of dark energy within", said Ami.

Ami's attempt at a productive meeting was further derailed when a brunet girl sprinted into the room and tripped over some ones bag. She tumbled painfully across the room before slamming into the opposite wall.

She ignored the blood pouring from her nose and leapt to her feet.

"Mrs. Kino, I have been looking every where for you.", yelled the clumsy school girl.

Usagi's eyes Narrowed, that was the girl who hurt her Mamoru. Makoto was speechless, how had she found them? Haruka squinted at the new visitor, was she that girl from two days ago?

"Hannah?", asked Haruka.

Michuru looked at her beloved and then to their uninvited guest. Haruka knew this girl as well.

"I see someone has been busy", said Michuru.

Haruka blushed, and Hannah tried in vain to comprehend the situation. Not that it mattered really, seeing as Usagi had just jumped her and was beating her face to a bloody pulp.

Makoto leapt into action and tried to pull Usagi off her while every one else watched. Every one else, except for Ami. The blue haired girl currently had her face buried in her hands. Even the dark kingdom had less conflict in their team meetings.

Meanwhile at the gateway of time . . .

"You have got to be kidding me", said Pluto. She was the Guardian of time and among the most experienced beings in the Universe. How had some one been able to get past her? How had they done it?

She reviewed the time stream over and over again as she searched for the breach. The problem just came out of nowhere. It was almost as if the threat came from another dimension. After hours of arguing with herself, herself from different time lines, she still had no idea how this could have happened.

All she could do now was act as damage control while she tried to piece everything together. Okay, what do we have here? This looks like her going on a killing spree. She did not remember that.

Was she drunk, no she distinctly remembered that the doctor was their designated driver when she got drunk last week. There is no way he would have been so irresponsible as to drop her off outside a warehouse in the middle of nowhere. Yes he could be a jerk sometimes. However he was a high class jerk, and she had yet to meet a doctor who would leave a drunk time warden unattended.

Then what would have caused this? She viewed the time stream over and over again, until she came across a spot that was warded from her sight. This was a wizard's work, she could tell. It didn't feel like dark magic.

Who could it be? Had she pissed off Negima again? No, no that happened last summer. She doubted he would hold a grudge that long. She also didn't remember pissing off John Constantine recently. For a moment she considered Tzeenetch, but he was banished from interfering with mortal affairs after he lost a chess game to a strategic genius.

She needed a drink. She needed a strong drink. So she called up a couple of her friends. If she was about to witness the complete and utter destruction of the time stream, there was no way she was going to do it sober. Besides, she was a better brawler when she was drunk any ways.

If they wanted a war then they would get one. Now where did she put Doc Browns phone number?

Kusoge HQ, the past . . .

There was a knock at the door. Then, there was yet another knock at the door. Then the person just came in.

"Cccc. . . COME IN", yelled the CEO. Such was her feminine grace that she had to get rid of some of it by throwing it up on the floor. Wait, no that was just the alcohol.

Who was this guy who just came in? He was kinda cute. Maybe he would give her his phone number, or at least help her wipe this vomit from her business ware. Either way, she wasn't really that picky.

" I am from the board of directors. I was sent her to disprove any misconception's which may have arose in light of recent events", he said.

Carnelian retched. Looks like he would need to buy new shoes after this meeting. Such a shame, they were Italian too. Well at least she didn't get any puke on his suit.

"Don't be ridicu-", she said before she let lose a stream of vomit, which erupted forth uncontrollably, all over, this guys Armani suit.

He wiped it off to the best of his ability. A bit of it got into his mouth, what on earth had this woman eaten last night? Ravioli, yep it tasted like Ravioli mixed with enough vodka to kill an elephant. He was getting drunk just off of second hand exposure.

"You know", he began, "I think it would be in both our best interests if we rescheduled".

She did not deign to respond. Instead she slid out of her chair and fell the floor in an unnatural manner. It was hard to look away. Like a train crash in slow motion it just kept going and going until she was left drooling on the ground.

How could the sailors ever stand against a villain so dastardly clever as Carnelian? Her energy stealing scheme is destined to succeed, once she recovers from her hangover that is.


	13. Making Amends

Tokyo, past . . .

Usagi Tsukino, the hero of this tale, stood by a hospital bed. In it laid a villain, a monster. Many other heroes' would have ended it here and now, but Usagi wasn't like other heroes.

"I forgive you", she told the monster, "even after all that you've done, I still forgive you".

She then squeezed the young brunets hand. Even if she was a monster, that still didn't mean that she had to suffer alone.

The monsters face was covered with bandages and there were still bruises around its neck. Proof that it was never a good idea to mess with Usagi's loved ones. It was a lesson that the monster would not soon forget.

The monster deserved to suffer for what it had done. It had threatened the very existence of the silver millennium by harming Mamoru Chiba. It wasn't easy to forgive it for what it had done, but Usagi did so anyway.

The monster stirred and its own hand squeezed Usagi's back. "Dad, is that you?", a terrified voice asked.

"Its so dark, I'm scarred.", it said.

"It's okay", said Usagi softly.

The grip on the girl's hand slackened. The girl had fallen back asleep. Usagi petted her hair softly before she left. Just like her father did when she was a little girl.

One day, some one was going to have to stop it. There was no escaping fate and no outrunning destiny. Its time would come, and upon that day it would learn the name even monsters feared, Sailor Moon.

Mean while at Osaka P's . . .

"I don't think it was a good idea to close the store early today", said Naru. "What if mom finds out?", she reasoned.

Naru's fatally boring day job had been canceled for today so that she could spend a little "girl time" with her aunt. This of course meant that she ended up covered in grime and sweat while she tried to beat her aunt senseless, with Lynda's permission of course.

"You hit like a girl", her aunt complained. Naru had been punching her in the gut for the last ten minutes and she couldn't even feel it yet. Naru was nearly a woman and she couldn't even throw a good sucker punch. Aunt Lynda had a lot of work to do if she was going to turn this little kitten into a fighter.

"Problem is you ain't got no force behind your punches. We are gonna get you into shape. You will thank me for this eventually, or hold it against me for years to come. But if it means you won't be bullied no more then I don't care either way", huffed out Lynda.

Naru fell flat on her butt. She was exhausted and she had done nothing but give her aunt a bit of a bellyache. She was a long ways away from being strong enough to accept the dark mantle. How could she get strong faster?

Her question was answered when her aunt pushed her back to the floor as she tried to get up. "This is for your own good Naru. I want you to give me one hundred crunches, and stop in the up position so I can check if you're clenching your core", ordered Lynda.

Naru obeyed and felt her core scream in agony when her aunt punched her in the gut. Her aunt squatted besides her and said, "That was one, you got ninety nine more to go".

"What was that for?", groaned out Naru as she rolled around in agony.

"That was for not keeping your core strong, you have got a long ways to go kid", said aunt Lynda.

"And I am gonna help you, whether you like it or not", proclaimed Naru's Aunt. She then stood over her and looked down with a slight frown on her face. It would to take a miracle and half to turn Naru into a worrier; good thing Lynda still had connections form her old days as a call girl. She was going to need all the help she could get for this job.

Now how could she get in contact with the fine gentlemen who worked at a place called Hikawa shrine?

Later at Hikawa shrine . . .

Grandpa Hino felt a great evil coming. He could smell ash and sulfur in the air, a terrible omen. Yet this presence felt familiar some how, as if it was from some one he had known a long time ago. How could this be so? He did not consort with daemons.

He ran towards the entrance and prepared a banishing scroll, and then he saw it. It was shorter then his granddaughter and nearly as wide as she was tall. Its hideously pale skin glistened with a lather of sweat. It was also approaching far faster then anything its size had any right to move.

As it approached he saw its face. It was even more terrible up close and its scars warned him that the thing was no stranger to combat. Even more terrifying was the fact that it was wearing a thin white tee shirt with daisy dukes, both of which left little to the imagination.

The shrine priest forced himself not to retch as it approached. He could hear its heavy footsteps slamming upon the ground, and lighter ones as well. There was a young girl running about thirty meters behind the monster. Her presence had been hidden before by the creatures bulk.

Unwilling to tolerate its presence any longer, Grandpa Hino threw the prayer strip at the beast. It hung upon its sweaty hide for a moment before falling to the floor. "Ya are into some pretty strange things Mr. Hino", huffed out the beast.

Aunt Lynda still remembered him after all these years. He used to be very handsome back in the day. She understood that he probably didn't recognize her after all these years. It's pretty hard to remember a call girl you had a couple of one night stands with decades ago. Not to mention the simple fact that the years had not been as kind to Lynda as they had been to Mr. Hino.

"Ya owe me a favor, and I'm calling it in. Vancouver, Christmas night", spat out Lynda venomously. Mr. Hino simply nodded, he understood well enough. Upon that fateful night some of his war buddies and him had gotten together to celebrate at a local establishment of questionable standards. After several hours of drinking the Japanese tourists had become rather rowdy.

If memories serve they hit something, or some one with their car by accident. He could only assume that the creature standing before him had not always looked the way it did now. He had little doubt that he had done something upon that night deserving of punishment. If his day had finally come, then so be it. He was not afraid.

"What is it that you ask of me?", he inquired. Then Lynda smiled, revealing her large yellow teeth to him. He had to resist a shudder as he gazed upon her.

It was at this point that Naru finally caught up. She was out of breath and looked about ready to pass out. With each step she took, a downpour of sweat trickled its way to the ground.

"I want ya to train her", said Aunt Lynda. She then pointed towards her niece to make sure that the elderly shrine priest got the message.

"She's a good girl but she could use a bit of schoolin, so I want's ya to teach her how to meditate and stuff", dictated Lynda. She then took a lighter out of her pocket and threw it at Naru.

Naru was too disoriented to catch it and too tired to avoid it. It smacked her straight in the face and it fell to the floor. She leant over to try and pick it up when her knees gave out on her and she fell down face first.

Then aunt Lynda started to walk away. Leaving an elderly shrine priest in charge of an exhausted and disoriented young apprentice. This could only end well.

Meanwhile in Tokyo . . .

Bloody knuckles rapped on the door of the apartment. Outside in a hospital gown and a very unpleasant state of mind was a young visitor that had come to make amends.

She knocked on the door again, gently this time. Her strength and resolve was fading fast, it was now or never.

"Mrs. Hino, I don't even know if you are in there. I know you have every reason to hate me after everything I have done. Still, if you're there I just wanted to tell you one thing . . .", Hannah said.

She then fell to her knees as her injuries finally began to reap their terrible toll. Her vision became fuzzy. She knew that she didn't have the strength to stand. No, she owed Mrs. Kino better then this.

She thought of her home, of her father and the life that was taken from her. Visions of her patient bleeding out on that bed flashed before her eyes. Then she heard a gentle voice in her head whisper, "It's Okay".

She arose and gritted her teeth. This was her reckoning and she would face it standing on her feat, she was her father's daughter after all.

" . . . I am sorry", then everything faded to black.

Makoto had been standing behind the door listening the whole time. She unlocked the door hesitantly, only for a young girl to fall into her arms.

This was her enemy, this was a stranger, and this was a person in dire need of a shoulder to cry on.

Makoto embraced the girl and whispered softly into her ear, "I forgive you".

It was over. It was all over for Hannah. She had finally made her amends. Unfortunately Makoto was wearing her brand new dress when they embraced. You have no idea how hard it can be to get bloodstains out of clothing.

Truly, truly unfortunate . . . oh well, at least this tragedy is a pretty good excuse to go shopping.

Oh, and the girl will probably be okay too.

Elsewhere in Tokyo . . .

Last night Haruka and Michuru had slept together. As in literally slept together. No sex, no teasing, no cuddling. Michuru had spent the better part of the night staring silently at celling while Haruka pretended to fall asleep.

This had never happened before, this kind of thing did not happen. It felt like things were falling apart all around her. The certainty of her future, her relationship, and her faith in her self were all coming undone before her eyes.

She needed therapy, they needed help, therefore the only logical answer was to get couples counseling. Haruka spent several hours going through a catalog before she found an advertisement that caught her eye.

Akane's ½ dojo, that would be perfect. It had martial arts, which she liked, and it said the words "high class" in the advertisement so Michuru would probably like it too. It would be a great way to work out their stress as well.

Better make an appointment right away, a place like this probably sells out fast.

Meanwhile in Tokyo . . .

This was the place. A smooth smile was plastered on Dumbledore's face. His plans were progressing excellently, minus a few close encounters of the tentacle kind in the frozen wilderness.

Everything had a price he supposed. Next time he went on a search for an ancient and terrible being, he would make sure to bring a chastity belt. It never hurt to be prepared.

Nonetheless the entity had proven to be useful in its role of masquerading as a guardian for his chosen one. This was almost too easy.

With nothing better to do, he decided to cause a little chaos and confusion. During his attempts at reaching this dimension, he had made a few wrong turns and picked up a little extra cargo.

By using it for his own nefarious purposes he could kill two hippogriffs with one killing curse. Besides, all he was doing was returning something he had accidentally borrowed earlier. He was technically doing a good deed.

It was rather easy to find this place; all he had to do was follow the trail of blood. That girl always was so messy. That is why she would serve as a distraction while his true champion terminated the sailors.

He knocked several times upon the door to announce his presence. Being a dark lord was no excuse to be rude when meeting your student's caregivers.

The champion of the light was well dressed for his encounter. With liberal use of polyjuice potion and a quick stop to the mall, anything was possible.

A tall and beautiful woman answered the door. Her eyes were bright green, just like Lily's. It hurt just to look at her. She was far too tall to be Lily, yet they both radiated a similar kind of strength.

Dumbledore knew that it would not be a smart idea to tangle with this woman, and he most definitely would not be making the same mistake as Voldermort today. Unlike his student, the retired headmaster knew the power of love and how dangerous it could be.

It was love that had turned him away from the light, it was love that caused the time bitch to abduct Harry, and it was love, which gave his current enemies an undeniable power.

Fortunately for Dumbledore knew he could easily pull this off without getting in a fight with this young lady. To her he would appear as an older Japanese woman.

"Excuse me", began Dumbledore, "but I was wondering if I could talk to the girl currently staying at your residence"

"I am sorry but she's not really feeling very well right now"

"I completely understand, however Mrs. Kino, this is an very serious matter."

"How do you know my name?"

"Its our job to know these things dear. It is imperative that I talk to Hannah immediately"

Makoto stood up at her full height, towering over the woman in front of her. Something did not feel right.

"I am afraid that I am going to have to ask you to leave", said Makoto.

"I understand, could you at least tell the girl that her uncle is currently at the hospital. She hasn't seen him for quite some time and I think this would be rather important to her", said the woman.

"Who sent you?", asked Makoto.

The woman smiled at the question.

"You needn't worry about that dear. All you need to know is that I am here to help. After all, the light will always triumph over darkness", said the woman cryptically.

Old Japanese Fem Dumbledore then left Makoto there to simmer in confusion. He found himself unable to suppress a chuckle as he walked away; some days he loved this job.

Elsewhere in Tokyo . . .

"Hey Michuru, I have a surprise for you", mischievously stated Haruka. She was currently trying to get on her girlfriends good side and it was not working.

"What is it?", asked Michuru. She was currently going over their finances. A great many things could be said about Haruka, but few could claim she was quite as good with numbers as her beloved was.

"I made an appointment for some couples therapy. I know things are great and all between us, but it never hurts to be too carful", said Haruka as her confidence began to wane not so imperceptibly.

"Is that so?", questioned Michuru. The words were delivered with calm indifference, yet Haruka knew she was on thin ice now. No amount of charm could get her out of this delicate situation.

"It'll be fun. We can drop off Hotaru off at Usagi's for a sleep over. Then we can spend some time together just like the good old days", Haruka tried to explain. Yet something didn't feel right. Her sixth sense, her daddy senses, told her that she had somehow screwed up.

"When?", asked Michuru.

"Tommorow"

"Hotaru has a doctor's appointment then"

"Ohh"

"Yes"

Shot down. Haruka was truly blessed to have such an eloquent and intelligent lover. She could only imagine how screwed she would be if they ever ended up on opposite sides in a war. Haruka was pretty close to hopping out the window right about now.

Then Haruka had a brilliant plan to salvage the situation. "How about this, I will go alone tomorrow and scope the place out. If, it's any good then you and Hotaru can come with me on the weekend. It'll be fun, and we haven't done anything as a family in forever", said Haruka.

"Sure", said Michuru.

Haruka couldn't help but smile slightly at her pyrrhic victory. Michuru might be giving her the cold shoulder now, but once her plan was over she would be in her arms once more.

Time to check out a dojo.

Meanwhile in China . . .

It was a beautiful scenic village that had not changed for hundreds of years. It's powerful elders had upheld its traditions over the centuries. This place was home to Shampoo and her son Akane. The only thing missing from this beautiful village was the foreigner who had defeated its champion. The only thing missing was Ranma Saotome.

Shampoo sat in her mothers hut and performed a truly unbelievable feat of superhuman strength; she gave her two-year-old son a bath. Perhaps this might not sound like much of a challenge to any one blissfully unaware of who the child's father was.

Any one who thought that it would be easy to give Ranma's kid a bath was welcome to try. In fact Shampoo would have encouraged it. It often got boring around the village and the denizens where in need of a good laugh every now and then.

Shampoo daydreamed a little of how much money she could make by having people pay to watch. Maybe she could make enough money to support herself so that her husband could come home. It wasn't right for a child to have to grow up without their father, no child should ever have to endure growing up without both their parents.

Shampoos powerful hands had little Akane in a death grip. Even after applying dozens of pressure points the little tyke continued to struggle. He probably got that from his father. Nothing a little brute force couldn't solve though.

The youthful mother couldn't help but smile at her child's struggles. Surely she had chosen well when she went after Ranma. Although she did try to kill him at first due to a little misunderstanding, in the end they fell in love.

Yes, their happy ending did involve breaking a few hearts, Ranma's earlier wedding, and a few limbs. Sometimes you had to fight for your happily ever after. Shampoo was a fighter, and she didn't fight to lose.

Shampoo hadn't aged much since that wonderful day when she and Ranma became officially man and wife. Shampoo was short and her hair was distinctive as always. Even if you ignore the exotic way it was styled, purple hair tended to leave an impact on people. The red eyes didn't hurt either.

Shampoo grinned triumphantly as she finished scrubbing every last nook and cranny of her first born.

Her grin evaporated as saw the shadow of a man standing outside her hut. She grabbed a two handed sword from a nearby pile and cautiously approached the door.

A familiar face greeted Shampoo as she gazed out of the huts entrance. It was her lover's old rival, Ryoga.

He was a fit martial artist who was always wearing a yellow headband. Another notable feature was the cute little fangs he had. He was rather handsome, and also very prone to getting lost. How he had even gotten here was a great mystery to shampoo.

"Nice kid you have their shampoo. What's their name?", asked the boy.

"Akane", answered shampoo.

Ryoga's expression darkened. That name brought up unpleasant memories and a flurry of unexpected emotions. Remembering his old crush seemed to be physically painful to him.

"Why did you name them something like that?", he earnestly asked.

"A village elder said to name the child after the one thing Ranma feared", explained Shamps.

"I see", said Ryoga.

Ryoga shifted uncomfortably under Shampoo's gaze. He didn't like to be in situations like this.

"We were worried about you, we haven't seen you since you and Ranma got married. You didn't even invite anyone to see the kid. Also where's Ranma?", questioned Ryoga.

" It was too dangerous in Tokyo with Blue girl there. Ranma's in Tokyo working to help support our child.", said Shampoo.

Ryoga nodded at this. He could see where this was going. He had better track down Ranma fast before older Akane did.

He also really wished that Shampoo had named their kid something different. Talking about Ranma and Akane's relationship was difficult enough as is without this further muddying the waters.

"I'm heading out", said Ryoga.

He then went started heading straight for Tokyo, it was time to visit an old friend.

Later on at a dojo . . .

When Haruka showed up at the dojo she half expected to meet some old Chinese master with a Fu Manchu. Instead her instructor for the day would be a short blue haired girl named Akane Tendo. It did make sense, it was Akane's ½ dojo after all.

"Is this a private class?", asked our favorite bad ass biker.

"No, your just my only customer for the day", responded the martial arts master.

"Okay", said Haruka.

She just shrugged and started stretching out. She had been to a couple of Martial arts classes before so she knew the Drill.

"Fight me", demanded the blue haired female version of Bruce Lee.

Haruka stared at her for a moment dumbfounded before assuming her stance.

"I want to see how skilled you are at the art before we begin. That way I can better assess what I need to do to improve you", said the grand master.

Haruka smiled and cracked her neck. This would be interesting to say the least.

"Go!", yelled Akane.

Haruka quickly closed the distance between them and went on the offensive. The blond haired tomb boy had a lot of experience getting street fights and she had taken numerous martial arts classes over the years.

Her reflexes and instincts were superb. Trying to fight her was like trying to bottle lighting, lightning that wasn't afraid to kick you in the crotch and kick dirt in your eyes. Unfortunately for Haruka she was facing among the greatest martial artists on earth.

She got her ass kicked. Akane moved faster then the eyes could see and a single punch sent Haruka flying into a neighboring wall of the dojo. It really, really hurt.

"How did I do?", the Concussed blonde haired woman asked.

"Your actually pretty good", said Akane honestly.

Haruka spat out some blood and tried to give her signature cocky grin.

"However", started Akane, "You still have yet to tap into your Chi"

"My what?"

"Your Chi, your life energy, what martial artists like myself use to pull off our superhuman feats"

Haruka nodded and pretended to understand.

The blond haired biker then got up and started to walk over to Akane before holding her hand out. The shorter blue haired girl accepted the hand and started to shake it.

"You know Akane, I think this is going to be the start of a beutifull friendship", said Haruka.

"We'll resume our lesson tomorrow when you recover from your injuries", responded Akane.

Haruka walked away and began to grin maniacally; Michuru was going to love this. Akane started to smile too as that feminine looking boy started to walk away. She missed having friends.

Maybe later on he could try some her cooking. However all that could wait until tomorrow, having her first customer was a good cause for celebration after all.

If she was real nice about it then maybe she could get her older sister Kasumi to make some of her famous cookies. Those things were to die for.

Right now Akane was even feeling so generous that she might share some of them with her new apprentice.

For the first time in forever, thing were finally going Akane Tendo's way.

Elsewhere in Tokyo . . .

The daemon was running as fast as its leg could carry it. Then it stopped dead in its tracks and started looking around for an exit. There was none.

Its hunter had lured it into a back alley and the thick fog began to seep its way into the trap. The mist swirled around the victim's limbs and chilled them to the bone. The fog blocked out the world from its sight. The only thing it could see or hear were its own short breathes, the fog, and the footsteps of a killer.

Sailor Mecury, the Senshi of ice. She was cold, calculating, and currently closing in on her prey. It was almost sickening how poorly her appearance matched her combat ability. Who in their right mind would put super soldiers with the power of planetary bodies in small adorable short-skirted sailor suits? It was kind of sending a mixed message.

The blue haired terminator finally reached its target. The daemon didn't have time to process what would happen when the footsteps stopped. The Senshi attacked once with one of her water attacks, and it was over.

One could argue that she went a tad overkill at that moment. A shabon spray-freezing spell would have probably been enough to take care of the daemon.

However Mercury did not like to take chances, and more importantly the group of daemons had distracted her from a sacred and very serious duty. They had to pay for their insolence.

Mercury then transformed into simple old blue haired Ami. She wasted little time in heading home to perform her duty.

She had a bachelorette party to plan for her friend Usagi, and it was going to be awesome.


	14. Special Friend

Hikawa shrine, the past . . .

She knelt under the silver light of the moon. Its silver rays bounced off her pale skin. It was a cold night and a silent night. Not even the cicadas could be heard this time of year. All she could hear was the soft rustling of the wind as her hair moved in the breeze.

Before her where the steps she had to climb to get here, and behind her was one last hope at unlocking her true potential. How long could she stand idly by while others suffered? Was this her fate? Was it destiny?

Naru lowered her head and whispered a humble prayer. She prayed for her mother who was so far away, amen.

"I miss you mom"

A voice reached at her from the shadows. It was not her mothers nor did it belong to any other creature of flesh and blood. Its form sifted out from the darkness.

"You're not even trying to hide yourself anymore, are you little one", it purred.

The thing with almost a face then writhed as it came too close to the shrine grounds. This was hallowed ground. It was beyond the beast's domain, within this plain of existence.

"Having some trouble?", asked the new Miko.

The beast's form solidified into a mass of tentacles that rose into the air. Its bulk swayed back and forth in a gross parody of the movement of life. It's flesh wriggled and writhed within its trunk of ever changing darkness.

"You walk in the light", it rumbled.

Naru nodded to the monstrosity. She didn't know if it could see her without eyes, yet she could feel it. It's malevolence and rage at being kept from its quarry.

"Do you mock me?", its voice ground out.

Then the mass rose higher and higher into the air, and its black appendages faced downward menacingly.

"Let me teach you what I am", it offered.

Naru opened her mouth to scream. Those few moments were all the terror needed to force itself down her throat. The torrent of shadows squirmed its way through her open jaws. Her eyes flew wide as it slithered through her insides. Then the last bits crawled their way through her quaking lips.

Drops of blood squeezed their way through her tear ducts, and then she fell to the earth. Several meters away from her prone form was an old man with a flowing white beard and a twinkle in his eye.

Dumbledore always did enjoy a good show.

Elsewhere, Japan . . .

It had been too long. The diplomat took solace in knowing she was with her true companion once more. For although she may be sleeping now, her shallow breaths still made Luna feel safe at night.

Just to make sure this wasn't a dream, she felt the body lying next to her. The rough and heavily scarred skin of a soldier, the fabric of a grey uniform, and the cold steel of a mechanical arm.

Si was still asleep, and had been asleep for a very long time.

"Wake up, Si", coaxed Luna.

Si stirred slightly and her eyes opened. The soldier cracked a grin as their eyes met.

"I need to ask you a favor, I need your clothes", whispered Luna.

Si nodded weakly while she obediently tried to undress herself under the covers of the bed. Her left hand was shaking and her breath was uneven. Then Luna gently laid her own hands upon Si's wrists to stop her.

"Let me do this"

Luna's hands worked deftly as she undressed her friend. She knew Si's body like she knew her own. She went faster and faster with each article of clothing removed.

Then she stopped and kissed her old friend on the forehead.

"Get better soon"

The diplomat then arose from the bed and pulled on the borrowed clothes. The grey uniform engulfed her body and the dark military boots arose to her knees. Then she locked eyes with her guardian with grim finality.

"I have asked much of you Si. Before this mission is over I will ask much, much more. Stay strong for me and remember me when I'm gone. "

Si tried to rise, tried to speak, to beg her not to leave. It was her duty to protect her. She refused to lose any one again. Her mind screamed in defiance to the pain. However her body was too weak and it was too late.

"Good bye, Mrs. Bright".

The door opened and light flooded in from the Hallway. Si was given one last glimpse at that beautiful face before the door closed and darkness took hold once more.

"No", she croaked.

Her princess was gone and she was alone again. Rauta had been missing ever since the accident. Now it was just a soldier and the ghosts of the past. At home some one would have the kindness to put a gun to her head and pull the trigger.

There was no one to dispense mercy upon this earth now. So the soldier did all she could do in such a situation. She closed her eyes and prayed.

Nondescript back alley, Tokyo . . .

"Obliviate"

She was face down in grime. The air was foul with human filth and dark magic. Naru was face down in a puddle of filth. Her skin was an abhorrent shade of off white with a yellow tinge.

"You won't remember me or your . . . . special friend. You won't remember any of this. The last thing you will recall is praying in the middle of the night", said Dumbledore.

He couldn't help be beam at the unconscious body before him. This was so exciting. The ancient wizard could hardly remember the last time something had tickled his fancy like this.

"My dear, I have invested greatly in you. I doubt you will appreciate how hard it was to cast all the wards necessary to hide your presence from those who would try to cut your adventure short. The light will triumph and you are its champion", spoke the ancient wizard.

He knelt down and placed a black quill in her hands.

"Now I hope you will be on your best behavior from know on. It just wouldn't do for the heroes' of this tale to be portrayed in a negative light. For this is all in the name of the greater good", explained Albus.

He then fled the scene. Leaving an unconscious and poorly clothed Naru to the mercy of the night.

Makoto's apartment, the past . . .

Something smelt good in the kitchen. You could almost feel the warmth and love radiating from Makoto as she indulged in her craft.

When it came to the culinary arts Makoto was an absolute beast. Few could challenge her cooking expertise or her dedication to house keeping. Home ec teachers eat your hearts out!

She was tall, muscular, and good at house keeping. What wasn't too like about Makoto of the herculean strength? Also her grades were not half bad either.

Yet some how she always had trouble with boys. They would always dump her because they were uncomfortable with dating a girl stronger then they were. What a bunch of pussies.

To make matters worse every guy she dated reminded her of her old sempai. There was one guy who she dated for a while. However he ended up leaving her just like all the others.

Makoto just could not get a break. In fact she's already died twice and gotten hurt in the line of duty countless times. She isn't even the physically strongest Senshi any more now that Haruka's part of their Motely crew.

Actually Usagi was technically the strongest Senshi. That Odango headed ditz had really come a long way since they first met.

Makoto hoped she had finally found happiness. If any one deserved a happy ending it was Usagi. Doesn't a hero deserve a little R & R after saving the world god knows how many times?

However there would be time to worry about the little things in a few weeks. Their little bunny's bachelorette party was coming up and it was time to celebrate. Hopefully Ami would choose something tasteful for the entertainment.

At least Minako hadn't been put in charge of this party. If that had happened then things would have really gotten ugly.

Thank god that such a catastrophe would never come to fruition. Makoto couldn't think of anything worse.

Japan, the past . . .

It was a cloudy day in the park. Perhaps it would rain. Would it be a light shower or a tumultuous down pour, only time would tell.

Sitting next to a beautiful girl was Mamoru Chiba. Usagi and her boyfriend where holding hands together in the park. They were not really talking much.

Mamoru was operated on by an insane foreign exchange student. Not the strangest thing that ever happened to Usagi's beloved, yet it was kind of a conversation killer.

The birds where chirping in the tree's. Children where playing in the park. Meanwhile a brunet with a French braid was closing in on our heroes' position.

Usagi tilted her head back so that she could watch the clouds. Her feet were swinging back and forth about an inch about the ground. Her boyfriend's hand remained tightly intertwined with hers.

"Excuse me", squeaked a nervous girl.

The nervous girl kept her head down. In one hand was a bouquet of carnations and in the other was a hot pink envelope.

"I just wanted to apologize to you two in person", she declared.

Usagi nearly jumped out of her skin. This girl had appeared out of nowhere like Setsunna always did.

"Sorry I got your boyfriends blood all over your friends bed", the apologetic girl blurted out.

Several passers by stopped and stared for a moment. The people of Tokyo had long ago gotten used to some pretty weird stuff. A comment like that could still draw attention though.

"Also I am really sorry about injecting your boyfriend with a powerful and not exactly legal painkiller without asking you first", the socially challenged girl continued.

Every word she said just made the situation worse. It was hard for her to read how well the heroes were taking her apology. Usagi sat there with her mouth open in disbelief. Chiba meanwhile had barely moved a muscle since the conversation had started. As if the very presence of this brown haired girl had turned him to stone.

"I accept your apology", said Usagi after a long pause.

It was now Hannah's turn to go into shock. She had put a needle in this girls boyfriend, wrecked her friends house, and caused her lord knows how much pain and suffering, only for her to forgive her like that.

"Thank you", stammered Hannah.

The normally spastic girl then seemed to move in slow motion. She dropped the flowers and letter in Usagi's lap before turning around to walk away.

The score is all loving heroine one and psycho bitch zero. So there you have it folks, yet again love and justice triumphs over the nefarious forces of evil.

Nondescript back alley, Tokyo . . .

A phoenix can rise from the ashes. But what happens when there are no ashes to rise from?

Naru was dead.


	15. Cruel Mercy

Nondescript back alley, Tokyo . . .

Naru was dead.

She had died of asphyxiation just moments ago. If there were any mercy in this fairy tale then that would be the tragic end to her story. She would have finally found peace.

What a coincidence that some one had notified emergency responders just moments ago about a girl passed out in a dark alley, and thanks to the miracle of modern medicine she would live on.

Just now she was being put in a stretcher to go to the hospital. A hospital only minutes way. A hospital were they would be able to restart her heart and pump out the corruption from her lungs.

Everything would go according to plan. You cannot fight destiny, and you can never win against fate.

Wake up Naru, wake up and smell the ashes.

Japan, the past . . .

"I beg your pardon", said the Japanese official.

"Take me to your leader", said the Diplomat.

The Diplomat and a low ranking politician were currently talking inside of his small untidy office. The low ranking official barely had the authorization to make photocopies, and this crazy lady thought he could take her to the emperor.

"I am afraid I lack the authority to do so", he said cordially.

"Then take me to some one who does, mister"

He was too tired to argue. His bosses had been keeping him up for days doing reports on the income of small fishing villages. The crazy lady in front of him could anally probe his bosses for all he cared.

"You can find Mr. Uzumaki at the top floor, good luck", said the public official.

The diplomat gave a curt bow and then left on her merry way up to the top floor. Thirty seconds of awkward elevator music later she was banging on the door of a low ranking politician.

"You may come in", bellowed the politician.

The diplomat walked in and gave a quick bow to the man behind the desk. He was a giant of a man, nearly three meter tall. His large powerful frame reminded her of Rauta. What kind of government would give a man the size of a cybernetic killing machine a desk job?

"Excuse me sir, I was told you could get me a meeting with your leader", said Luna.

"I don't have the authorization to do that really. But I will do it any ways"

"Really?"

"Believe it!", the giant yelled.

Luna had been trained by some of the greatest master assassins for years on her home world. Yet she was currently squealing with joy like a little girl. It took her five whole minutes to her reign in her excitement.

"I see, I thank you very much for your cooperation. I look forward to any other dealings we might have in the future", she said calmly.

"Don't mention it kid", said the giant.

The diplomat then bowed about half a dozen times before leaving the office. For once the diplomatic and peaceful solution did not require bloodshed. This was progress.

Hikawa shrine, the past . . .

***BLAM*******

Japan, the past . . .

Grandpa Hino's body tumbled down the steps. Pain, blood, misery, agony, retribution and regret, these are what Lynda wanted to share with Mr. Hino.

"Still breathing old man, let me help you with that", spat Lynda.

His breathing was ragged. Yet there was defiance in his eyes. He would not break so easily, he refused to give her the satisfaction.

"Do you know where my niece is?", growled Lynda.

She lifted the small elder by the neck so he could see the pain in her eyes. So he could understand.

"Stop right there", yelled Sailor Mars.

Aunt Lynda dropped the small man and turned to face the enraged Senshi. She didn't even bother to wipe the blood off her hands.

"Soldier of flame and passion, the pretty fucking angry soldier Sailor Mars! In the name of Mars, I will kick your ass!", roared the Senshi.

Sailor Mars charged into Lynda with unrestrained fury. The large woman was sent tumbling across the cold hard ground. She didn't get up. Mars was still furious beyond words. Her shoulders rose up and down as she simmered in her rage.

"Don't let your anger consume you", warned Granpa Hino

"Just look at what she's done", growled Rei.

"You are a worrier of love and Justice, I have always known you were meant for great things. I know you are better then this", pleaded Mr. Hino.

Sailor Mars looked towards her grandfather.

"How long?", she asked.

"Ever since you were a little girl", he said.

Blood was trickling down the corner of his mouth. Even if death came to take him away, he would stay for her sake. He was so proud of her.

" I don't believe I ever told you how much I loved you", said Sailor Mars.

"You never needed to, granddaughter. Just being there was enough"

Rei picked up her grandfather and carried him to the hospital in her arms. To the citizens of Tokyo she was a defender of love and justice, to her friends she was staunch ally, and to her grandfather she was the most important thing in the world. She was Rei Hino.

In the end justice had been done. Lynda was left lying in the street where she belonged. She would live a long life with only her shame to keep her company. There would be no redemption for her.

She would never see her niece again.

Tokyo, the past . . .

She was declared brain dead. They were going to contact her family about cutting her life support. Then she woke up. Her short-term memory was irrevocably damaged; she would never be the same again.

It was a miracle they told her. If only she could believe them. They let her out of the hospital the next day. They gave her back the ruined clothes and the black Quill. The same black Quill she had left at home.

She didn't bother heading back to the shrine. She headed straight home to clear her head. To figure out where she had gone wrong.

She opened the door to her bedroom and collapsed upon her bed. She didn't want to look out the window today. She wanted her friends. Naru was alone.

It was raining today. An old wizard sat alone on a park bench, thinking wistfully of his new prize. He had finally broken her. For the greater good, of course.

Hikawa shrine, the past . . .

An emergency Senshi meeting had been called to order.

There was Ami, the blue haired genius who was actually sailor Mercury. She was the Senshi of ice and had a super computer the size of a smart phone.

Usagi was here with her boyfriend Mamoru. She was sailor moon defender of love and justice. He was Tuxedo mask, or prince endymion. Whatever floats your boat, and he does stuff.

Rei was here and unusually subdued today. She was the Senshi of fire and passion. In addition to her powers as a senshi she was also psychic and could see glimpse's of the future using the sacred fire.

Then there was Makoto, the senshi of thunder. She is the tallest of the senshi and is really freaking strong. Her cooking is amazing!

Minako is also here. She is sailor Venus the senshi of love, metal, acidic atmospheric gasses, and firkin lazer beams. It is a complete coincidence that she looks just like Usagi without her ridiculous hairstyle.

The outers are also at the meeting. There is the always-beautiful Michuru, the badass biker Haruka, and the adorable WMD Hotaru.

Also for some reason there was a blue haired martial artist sitting next to Haruka. This would no doubt be addressed in the meeting or maybe not. Logic tends to take a back seat once the Soldiers of love and justice get together.

Ami stood up to speak to everyone.

"As you all know there have been an alarming increase in . . . who's that girl next to you Haruka?"

"My apprentice, she'll take over for me when I want to quit in a few thousand years"

"What?"

"Well she could kick my ass, therefore she would make a good addition to the team"

"We can't afford to put civilians at risk"

"She is a supernatural martial artist mow through people like Usagi goes through cupcakes"

"Hey!", yelled an offended blonde.

Her objection was ineffective as she has half way through eating a cupcake at that very moment.

"I meant nothing by that of course, my Queen", said Haruka.

Ami just shrugged. She had gotten used to interruptions by this point. Nothing could surprise her at this point not even – were those helicopters?

An explosive force tore open one of the walls and half a dozen soldiers wearing solid black ran in.

"Put your hand's up where we can see them", they yelled.

Every one complied and the heavily armed troopers surrounded them. Then they put handcuffs around there wrists. Not special magical handcuffs, normal steel ones.

The clinking of high heels on stone could be heard as a woman in business wear entered through the gaping whole in the wall.

"What are odds that the undefeatable defenders of Tokyo would be stupid enough to all gather in the same place at the same time", the CEO exclaimed.

She threw her hands up into the air dramatically and laughed evilly, for ten whole minutes. Most of her hired mercenaries continued to keep their guard up in case the Senshi tried anything. Except for one in the corner who was obviously reading some of Rei's Manga in front of everyone.

"Joe, what are you doing", screeched the CEO.

"We agreed my codename would be adder", he whined.

"Adder, what are you doing", screeched the CEO again.

"Going through evidence mam", he said.

The CEO face palmed.

"We don't have to go through evidence you moron. The majority of all Sailor senshi sightings occur in this general area. We compiled the data in our computer and after ruling out several other sites and accidentally sending a kill team to a five year olds party, we narrowed it down to this location. ", she huffed.

The CEO pointed towards the hostages.

"Nine girls, nine senshi. You can count them yourself"

"But what about the Cat's?", asked another armed Merc.

"Fuck the Cat's frank, we have the Soldiers.", responded Carnelian.

"Wait I have a question?", said Minako.

"What!", screamed the CEO.

"You already know what we are. What's stopping us from transforming, blinding your men with our twirly light show, and then catching you?", asked the blond.

"If I escaped I would tell your secret identities to the world", said the CEO.

"If-", said Haruka.

Cue eight girls transforming into their super powered forms, several soldiers firing blindly, and a blue haired martial artist fangirling over the Senshi while they kicked ass.

"You know what they say", yelled Minako as she knocked a dudes light out, "If brute force doesn't work, then your not using enough of it!".

"Bet I can kick more ass then you can Mina", taunted Haruka.

"Is that so?", asked the Senshi of love.

Minako grabbed the nearest Merc and hurled him into two of his friends before shouting, "Get down"

"Venus love me chain", she yelled.

She then grabbed another poor sod with her chain and swung it around the room. Every bad guy except for a woman in a business suit and a Merc in the corner went down.

"I win", said Venus.

"Show off", muttered Haruka.

Sailor Mercury then yelled, "She's getting away!"

"I got this", said Akane.

The blue haired martial artist then leapt towards the CEO and was about to knock a bitch out. Unfortunately the daemonic businesswoman teleported at the last second, oh well. Sucks bro.

Kusonge HQ, the past . . .

"I need another fricken drink", said Carnelian

She had teleported to her office. Time to just sit back and . . . hold on, why was her chair turned around?

"When I find out who has been messing with my stuff, I'll tan their hide", she grumbled.

She was too tired for this shit. She walked forward and swung her chair around. There was some one in it, some one with blue eyes.

"Obliviate"

Dumbledore chuckled darkly.

"By the light I love this job"

Tokyo, the past . . .

Haruka gave her apprentice a nice firm pat on the back that was dearly needed, "Don't worry Akane, you will get them next time"

"Thanks", muttered Akane.

Minako was looking around uncomfortably. When Haruka said they were going out she didn't know what to expect. One thing she didn't expect was . . . this.

"Haruka, I know you wanted to cheer up the new girl and everything, but why exactly did we go to a gay bar to do it?", asked Minako.

"It's got Karoke"

"WHERE?"

"Over in the corner Mina", said Haruka.

Mina was suddenly Gerry rigging the Reagan era Karoke machine with blinding speed. Next thing the Sailors new, Mina was singing "Gangsta's Paradise".

"I didn't now they even had that on the record", said Haruka.

"They didn't", said Makoto.

"What?"

"Mina asked if she could borrow one of my cd's to listen to over the weekend. I grabbed one of Hannah's by mistake. I guess Mina took a liking to it", said Makoto innocently.

Most of the Sailor's tried to look like they were enjoying the song to support Mina. Hotaru however was going the extra mile; she was rocking her head to the gansta beat.

A rather confused applause erupted when the performance was over. A number of the patrons were rather unsure of what had just happened, but the general consensus was that the girl singing had a lovely voice.

"That was a rather interesting performance Minako, I heard you were talented, but I really didn't know what to expect", said Mamoru.

Then Rei and Usagi burst out laughing.

"I doubt Mina has the most talent here, isn't that right Makoto", said Rei.

The two Rei and Usagi then nearly passed out from laughing while Makoto blushed fifty shades of red.

"Are things always like this?", whispered Akane to Michuru.

"No, much worse"

Then Haruka got up and brought them all their drinks. None of them could really remember what happened after that. But the next morning when they woke up at Makoto's apartment they all had one heck of a hangover.

Also the girl with blue hair that wasn't Ami had gone missing. Oh well, she was bound to show up eventually.

Yomitan Municipality, the past . . .

Old man Yachimun loved his village, his family and his profession. He had been a farmer of Sweet potatoes his whole life, and god bless it he would die a sweet potato farmer.

"Grandpa, Grandpa. Look at what I can do", screamed Hanaui.

Old man Yachimun loved his youngest son's daughter. But sometime the little tyke could tire him out. This called for a little trickery.

"Say Hanaui, how would you like to do your old grandpa a little favor? I hear you growing up to be quite the strong young woman".

"I can do anything. Nothing stops the great Hanaui", screamed the rambunctious youngster.

The old man chuckled at this. Oh the impetuousness of youth.

"Anything huh? Well I hear that a fishermen's boat washed up by the beach a few days ago. Could the great Hanaui solve that?", teased the old man.

" Believe it!", screamed the child as they Ran off.

"Hold on", yelled her grandfather.

Alas she was already too far away to hear him. Hopefully she would be back by supper. That kid sure could be stubborn though, perhaps he should go after her. Nah, she would be fine.

Several hours late the great Hanaui returned from her fool's errand.

"Grandpa! Grandpa! I did it, I did it, come and look", said Hanaui.

"Now how did you do that? Did sailor moon come and help you?", asked the old man.

"No, the metal man did"

"The metal Man?"

"Come and look", yelled Hanaui.

At last the old man relented and let her drag him to the beach. It was gone, the ship was gone.

"My god"

"See, I told you"

The old man stared at where the ship used to be.

"Hanaui, go and tell the mayor. Hurry, go quick", said the old man tersely.

"But "

"Hush child, run, go!"

Leading away from where the ship once was were the footsteps of a giant.

Japan, the past . . .

The diplomat was trying her hardest to hold her breath in anticipation. Quite the challenge when you possess a third lung that acts on a subconscious and instinctive level to prevent asphyxiation.

She had already been screened by security for weapons at least half a dozen times. She supposed that wearing a military uniform to a diplomatic meeting could raise suspicions. However these were the only clothes she had, so it was this or her birthday suit.

They also didn't believe her when she claimed the Galilean Machete was ceremonial. It wasn't a complete lie; it was merely a slight enhancement of the truth. Some Marines really did wear these in place of the standard military ceremonial swords. Although using a Galilean as an example of anything other than an exception to a rule would be by its very nature rather disingenuous.

Not that the people she was going to meet needed to know this. She was in the dark about their culture so why should they have the advantage of knowing anything about hers. The diplomat didn't even know the name of this colony yet for crying out loud.

The fact they spoke a less archaic form of speech than Expeditionary forces was an intriguing twist that raised more questions than it answered. Every single planet under humanities control was carefully monitored ever since the reunification of mankind. The very idea that they had missed a colony was rather preposterous.

The diplomat had to take care not to let her emotions show during this meeting. It was her temper that consistently got her into sticky situations that her bodyguards had to bail her out from. There would be no safety net. No dashing young hero or knight in gray armor to save her this time. She was alone.

She took a deep breath and relaxed her posture. A man appeared to wave her in and before she knew it she was standing at attention before the most powerful woman in Japan.

"You may sit down", said the Empress.

The diplomat obediently sat down as if she was about to drink tea with an Expeditionary commander. They would teleport using unstable technology, happily charge to their deaths without a second thought, yet for some reason they attached a monumental importance on the ritual of drinking tea.

"It would appear you are somewhat familiar with the tea ceremony already", spoke the Empress.

The diplomat remained solemn as she tired to stir up memories of what happened next. Mistaking her mental strain for tepidness, the Empress dropped her formality a bit to get her to relax.

"You can speak if you like. There will be a time for formalities after we are done discussing business", said the Monarch.

Luna nodded her head to show she understood.

"So what is it you wanted to speak with me about?", asked the Empress.

The post human killing machine tried to keep a cool head and respond. Unfortunately she kept on getting flash backs to her time as a child in her mothers court. Luna kept watch on the shadows in her periphery vision. She was also very careful not to move too much for fear of entering a kill zone accidentally. Old habits died hard when it came to royal meetings.

"Out of respect for your position I will tell you the simple truth. My comrades and I were onboard an allied military vessel when it decided to teleport out of strategic necessity. Something went wrong and I was sent here by mistake. It is quite likely that eventually that same military ship will come looking for me again. It is my sincere desire that by establishing diplomatic relations between our two people we can avoid any unpleasant incidents relating to first contact between two groups", Said Luna.

The Empress took a moment to take everything in.

"I understand, I will do everything in my power to see that we are able to reach such an understanding.", said the Empress.

Then an intoxicated blue haired martial artist burst into the room.

"Wait empress", she yelled, "don't trust her!"

The Empress to her credit remained unfazed by this rather bizarre change of events. The diplomat however was not taking this quite as well.

"She's actually a man", said Akane.

"What?", demanded Luna.

Then Akane leapt next to her and grabbed a large tuft of hair in her hand. She then tugged violently until she pulled a big clump of hair out.

"See look, its fake", said drunken Akane.

"This is an outrage", declared Luna.

However the whole situation took a turn for the worse when the mysterious blue haired intruder stole the diplomats shirt and started running around in circles screaming, "Wheeeee!", at the top of her lungs.

It took nearly forty five minutes for security to catch her, and when they did she just threw them around before leaping off into the distance.

The diplomat was feeling rather exposed without the top of her uniform and requested that she be allowed to withdraw. The Empress was kind enough to grant her request.

Diplomatic breakthroughs would have to wait until they could make counter measures to the threat of drunken blue haired girls.

That could take a while. In the mean time Luna would try and sneak away with the few strands of dignity she had left.

Tokyo, the past . . .

"Excuse me young lady, could you please help me. I left something of mine in this dark nondescript back alley and it's too dark for me to find it", said the old woman.

Ranma pointed at herself.

"Yes you dearie, I would be ever so thankful if you could help me", said the elderly woman.

On one hand this felt like a trap; on the other hand Ranma was pretty sure that martial artists were supposed to help old ladies. In the end his conscience got the better of him and he walked into the dark alley.

"What is it ya lost", she asked.

"Oh, something very precious to me and you are going to help me get it back", said the old woman.

Ranma turned towards the old woman only to find himself frozen in place. He had made a costly mistake by looking into her eyes.

"I have plans for you my dear", said disguised Dumbledore.

A tearing noise could be heard as the elderly wizard burst forth from his borrowed skin. Slick red coated the old man from head to toe. The naked wizard brandished his elder wand and walked towards the paralyzed martial artist.

"I don't suppose you are familiar with Legilimency?", asked the ex Headmaster.

He lazily casted several muffling and notice me not charms as he drew ever closer to Saotome. It wouldn't do to have his private lessons interrupted.

"I am afraid only one of us will enjoy this next part", revealed the Headmaster.

The only wizard that Lord Voldermort ever feared was a so close to Ranma that she could feel his warm breath on her skin. He had tilted her chin upwards with his blood-drenched hands to ensure that they remained peering into each other's eyes.

Ranma's ensuing screams electrified the frigid air. She screamed until her throat went hoarse and then screamed until blood gurgled up in her throat. No one could hear her, Dumbledore had made sure of that.

Ranma Saotome, you poor fool.


	16. Madness Rises

Tokyo, the past . . .

No shadow could hide her from the light. Her heart could never be black enough not to bleed. Naru was too strong for her own good.

Insanity would be a mercy and madness a release. The poor girl had locked herself indoors for the past couple days. The locks were not meant to keep evil out but to contain it within.

Outside in the rain her deranged lover Umino knocked at the door. No one had seen Naru for several days. They were getting worried about her.

"Naru!", he wailed into the night.

He banged on the shops door in vain. Blood smeared against the glass as he wore his knuckles raw. Umino's eyes looked up to heaven. There was more than just the rain streaking down his face now.

Driven mad by grief and worry, Umino began to mutter incoherently to himself. His hands pounded against the glass unceasingly.

"I love you Naru. . ."

"Did I ever tell you how much you meant to me . . ."

"Did I even realize it until now . . ."

Umino started to choke up as his regret flowed out like a river. He fell to his knees and placed his head against the glass. He banged against it even as the world became a blur to him.

He loved her, where had she gone? Didn't she remember the times they had spent together? Couldn't he realize that it would all be over soon?

His body was worn and rose tinted fluid swam against the glass. This was what it feels like to have your world torn apart. He finally understood.

Was it too late for them?

You can't fight against fate, and you can never win against destiny.

Hikawa shrine, the past . . .

Ami was bloody exhausted.

Three hours of debating the best way to attack the enemy base. Two hours and thirty minutes of constant bickering. Ten minutes of cleaning up Hannah's blood when she accidently broke into their meeting, again.

What would Jesus do? What would Ghandi do?

After several more arguments between Rei and Usagi, Ami was beginning to run out of historical figures to draw inspiration from.

What would Grover Cleveland do?

Usagi and Rei were at each other throats. Makoto was mothering over an unconscious brown haired foreign exchange student. Akane and Haruka were having arm wrestling contests in the corner.

What would Susan B. Anthony do?

Even Michuru and Mamoru were starting to lose patience. Mina was passed out on the floor and her whole body had become a canvas for Hotaru's artwork. It didn't take an IQ of four hundred to know that the situation was quickly becoming untenable.

What would Hitler do?

"You know what screw it", screamed Ami.

She threw her hands up into the air in exasperation.

"All our plans fall apart any ways so why don't we just go in there and smash things violently like we always do", said Ami.

As the assembly recovered from their previous states, Haruka was grinning like a kid in a candy store.

"I second that motion", proclaimed the Blonde biker.

"Good, any objections?", asked Ami.

There were none who dared. The plan had been chosen. An elegant one indeed, move fast and hit stuff. Yes this would do nicely, time for a Blitzkrieg.

Tokyo, the past . . .

Umino thought he had seen a ghost.

He took off his glasses and dried them with his shirt. She was still there. His angel, his lover, and his latest mistake.

In a trance he walked towards her with his hands outstretched. This was a park but it may as well have been a waking nightmare.

His hand touched her back and she turned. Naru locked eyes with him and time slowed down to crawl. He saw a pain beyond comprehension, the remnants of a broken soul.

"Naru, is that you?"

"Yes, its me"

"Where have you been?"

"I've been gone for a very long time"

Umino wanted to hold her, to comfort her and tell her it would be all right. But it wouldn't be all right. They both felt an inkling of the terrible truth as they gazed into each other's eyes.

"I've been gone for a very long time, and I don't think I can ever come back", muttered his fallen angel.

Just then he embraced her and held her fast against him. She was so cold, so very cold. She was shaking in her ex lovers embrace.

She forced him to let go with a single world whispered gently into his ear.

"Goodbye"

Crack. Crack. Crack. His heart shattered.

She walked away and left him kneeling in the park. The rain would never wash away these diseased memories.

Japan, the past . . .

Usagi was walking home in the rain with Mamoru. He held an umbrella above her so that she wouldn't get wet.

Mr. Chiba was such a gentlemen. Always ready with a rose in hand and just the right words to lift you up when things were looking down.

Oh sure he had been brainwashed and may or may not have died once or twice, but otherwise he was the ideal boyfriend to have. Soon Usagi would make him her husband. Ugggh, why did she have to wait?

She wanted him now. The only thing holding her back from grabbing him and running to the nearest chapel to get married was the promise of wedding cake. Well, that and the bachelorette party Ami was planning.

Then they finally reached their destination. A small inconspicuous tuxedo store where Mamoru would make his purchase for the wedding, and much to Usagi's future lovers chagrin he spotted Mina waiting for him.

The tall handsome young man understood that his beloved's friends wanted to make sure he made the right choice. Nonetheless Mina had a not so unearned reputation for going overboard on well, everything.

He had been secretly was hoping that Rei or Michuru would be helping him instead. Still it couldn't be that bad, right?

"Bye, I'll see you later okay", said Usagi.

Mamoru waived goodbye to his beloved and faked a grin even as an unnatural chill went down his spine.

"I have plans for you Mamoru", said the Senshi of love.

She was currently rubbing her hands together evilly while doing her best impression of a smug bond villain.

"What do you expect of me Mina?", asked Mamoru.

"Nothing Mr. Chiba, I merely expect you to comply", she proclaimed.

Oh, this was going to be fun.

Tokyo, the past . . .

What did it look like when angels cry?

Usagi was almost to her house when she was a familiar face pass her by in the street. It was her old friend Naru, she hadn't seen her in what felt like forever.

"Hey Naru, wait up", yelled Usagi.

She ran up to her friend with a big smile on her face. It had been too long; they had so much to talk about. Had she even given her a wedding invitation yet?

"Hey Naru, how have you been?"

"Not so good", answered Naru.

Usagi's bubbly happiness was quickly replaced by concern for her friend. She put a hand on her friends shoulder.

"What's wrong?"

"Usagi, would you always be my friend?"

"Of course"

"Even if I was a monster?"

Usagi's features hardened imperceptibly.

"Of course"

Naru let out a sigh of relief.

"Come on, let me show you something", offered Naru.

"Sure", said Usagi.

Naru led them several blocks away and pulled her friend into a local business establishment. She then dragged her into a deserted girls restroom and pulled her into a bathroom stall.

Their bodies were pressed together under the flickering lights. What an interesting change of scenery.

"What is it you wanted to show me?"

"Can I tell you a secret Usagi?"

The blonde nodded.

"Dark prism power"

The lights flickered and Naru lifted several inches off the ground. Her clothing disappeared and her body was wreathed in shadow.

A deep viscous black liquid leaked from every pour of her body and slithered across her frame until it solidified into a black skintight suit that covered her from the neck down. Next the shadows dissipated to reveal a short black miniskirt and modest shirt with a sailor collar.

"Usagi, you have been my closest friend for a long time. I hope you can see it in your -"

Usagi was gone. In her place was a suddenly wide-open stall door and nothingness. This was awkward.

Maybe her old friend just needed a little time to think the whole; my friend has become a monster thing over.

Time was something that Naru was in short supply of at the moment. It was only through the power of friendshp that she was able to keep the darkness in check.

Usagi was gone and the madness would return. It was time to head home quickly. Before she hurt any one else she cared about.

Japan, the past . . .

Ryoga walked through the streets of Tokyo carrying a beautiful young woman in his arms. He didn't have much trouble carrying her petite frame; his traveling pack weighed more than she did.

No, what bothered him was why he was carrying her at all. This was Ranma Saotome. The same Ranma Saotome who had defeated herb and slain the phoenix king.

Something wasn't right.

Then something caught Ryoga's eye, a ring on Ranma's hand. It was on the wrong hand to be his wedding ring, and wedding rings didn't usually come in crimson red.

Ryoga looked upwards towards the storm clouds. It would probably start raining again, and he had forgotten his umbrella.

The fanged martial artist decided that it woudn't be a half bad idea to stop at that shrine he had seen earlier. He heard that places like that would often take in weary travelers.

Hopefully Ranma would survive the night.

Another place, Another time . . .

In a dingy London office Inspector Gomez made a few phone calls. He called on friends, associates, friends of associates, and stayed up through the night by that phone line.

It wasn't until about three in the morning that the phone call he was waiting for came through.

"So I hear you're a friend of the major, tell me. How would you like to go to Tokyo?", purred the inspector.

Oh this was going to be bloody great.

.


	17. Guess Who

Kusoge HQ, the past . . .

The CEO groaned as a ray of light sneaked its way into her office. "Close the door", she croaked

The intern quickly jammed their way through the door and slammed it shut. The resulting cacophony forced the CEO to shift her hands from covering her eyes to shielding her ears.

"Mrs. Carnelian, are you alright?, whispered the unpaid intern.

"Not so loudly", hissed the well-respected business leader.

"Ok", mumbled the intern.

The CEO merely shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Why couldn't she remember a single thing?

"Mrs. Carnelian? Mrs. Carnelian?"

Why were there two of that boy talking to her . . . wait, she was just drunk. She was drunk with a hangover; under different circumstances perhaps she would have been proud of herself. Come to think of it perhaps downing an entire bottle of vodka for breakfast was a bit more than having a hair of the dog that bit you.

"What?", growled the CEO.

"Mrs. Carnelian, we have a few problems".

"Problems?"

"All of your special hires are now dead, so all future team outings are cancelled"

Carnelian was too plastered to even remember her own name. She just nodded and smiled as the intern kept on speaking.

"Also there have been investigations into the disappearance of Blargo, a clown that was tragically shot down by seventy three stray bullets at a five year olds party".

"Who now?", muttered the Inebriated evil business woman.

"You don't remember last Wednesday when you sent the kill team to little Ikari's party?".

"Was I sober?"

"Yes"

"Then of course I don't remember it"

"Yes, mam"

The CEO slumped back in her chair while she wiped some Puke off her dress.

"And don't you forget it", she commanded.

The intern respectfully bowed before turning to leave. Then the Sirens went off.

"**CODE TEAL, CODE TEAL.** **ALL EMPLOYEE'S ARE TO REMAIN IN THEIR OFFICES AND STAY CLEAR OF ANY DOORS AND WINDOW'S.**"

"Fuck, were being attacked", muttered Carnelian.

She then reached underneath her desk and pulled out a bottle of whiskey along with two shot glasses.

"You're going to need this", the CEO said while she poured out two glasses.

She held up her glass for a toast.

"To friendship", she stuttered.

Not-so secret entrance, the past . . .

"Ok, I know you guys might not believe me. But it really wasn't me this time", declared Haruka.

There was blood all over the floor, and the walls . . . and the Celling. You couldn't take a single step without stepping in Merc guts.

"Don't worry, I got this", declared Mina.

Mina's solution to the problem was shooting lazer beams at the innards. Now everything smelled like Bacon.

"Mach schnell!", yelled Sailor Mercury.

"What was that Mercury?", asked Sailor moon.

"We need to hurry"

The others weren't quite sure why the blue haired worrier of love and justice was in such a hurry. However none of them could think of a better idea so they all started running down the hallway.

Squelch, Squelch, Squelch, went their shoes.

"I think I got some in my mouth"

"Stop being such a big baby Makoto, its not that ba . . . Curse these heels"

"Rei's down, should we wait up for her?"

* Incoherent swearing booming in the distance *

"We can just go back for her later", offered Usagi.

"Move", screamed Ami.

Stray bullets streamed down the corridor. The firing angles were all wrong though. The soldiers weren't aiming for them.

"What's going on?", yelled Makoto.

"Just keep moving", commanded the blue haired Senshi.

The defenders of Tokyo's bull rush came to a grinding halt as they sprinted out of the tunnel, stumbling into the coffee room. Or more accurately, what was left of it.

"I don't suppose this is going to be just another job, is it?", prophesized Mina.

Furniture littered the room. The bits and pieces of soldiers were left just complete enough to discern the nature of their demise. The blood drenched claw marks on the walls didn't hurt either.

" The doors open", murmured Hotaru.

"Lets not keep them waiting then", suggested Haruka.

Screams beckoned them forward. When they stepped through that doorway, they felt like they had walked into the lowest circle of hell or at least the nice part of downtown Philadelphia.

"What are we going to do, she could be anywhere", whined Sailor moon.

"I'm detecting two large dark energy spikes with in this building.", said Ami.

"Where?"

"One of them is on the move, the other is a floor above us"

"If we sailor teleport, will we still have enough energy to fight the bad guys?"

"We still don't know what we're up against, so we should probably play it safe", recommended Ami.

Squelch, Squelch, Squelch, up the stairs went the senshi, plus tuxedo and Akane.

* unintelligible swearing rising in volume *

"Looks like Rei's catching up", quipped Makoto.

The Sailor scouts tried to stop at the top of the stairs, but they ended up slipping and falling instead. The ground was slick with blood. Warm blood.

"So much blood", muttered Sailor Saturn.

Gunfire again chattered around them. Now the Champions of love and justice could see what the Merc's were aiming at. A sailor dressed in all black with a cruder variant of their uniform, and meter long scythe like talons jutting from her fingertips.

"Bad guy?", asked Mina.

"Bad guy", responded Haruka.

Shadows flickered around their new enemy, yet the worst was yet to come. Four portals ripped there way into reality and hordes of Daemons streamed out.

"Hey Mina, you remember that little bet we had earlier"

"Yes Haruka"

"Game on"

The Senshi tore through the Monsters ranks. Tuxedo bitch gave support and Akane kicked ass. Then something magical happened, Rei showed up.

"Always angry, all the time", roared the Senshi of Passion.

While a battle of epic proportions took place just outside her door, the evil mastermind Carnelian was beginning to rethink her career choices.

"Hey kid!"

"Yes, Mrs. Carnelian", said the terrified intern.

"Don't move, I am going to send you back home. Now just hold on a second"

"Is this going to hurt hurt?"

"No, but erections have been known to occur from dark energy based cross continental teleportation. If it last for more than six hours, please consult a doctor"

"Cross continental?"

"Now just click your shoes together an say there is no place like home. We'll have you back home in a jiffy. Your ma and pa must be awful worried about you back in Kansas."

"But I'm not from-"

"So long, don't forget to write!"

Mrs. Carnelian placed a hand on the young man and he was gone. She loved fucking around with interns, not literally of course. That's what temps are for.

Hmmm, sounds like the Scouts are putting up quite a fight outside. Yet she knew that their struggle would be in vain. After all this was said and done, the CEO would probably owe Lestor dinner. What do faceless corporate entities of unimaginable power eat any ways?

There was a knock at her door.

"Who is it?", she screeched.

"Senshi"

"Senshi who?"

"We will punish you in the name of the Moon!"

"Oh shi-"

The door was blown off its hinges. In stepped eight very pissed off Senshi and their two allies.

"That's impossible, how could you get pass the Daemon hordes summoned by my business associate?", cried out Carnelian.

Mina put up her hand to count.

"Well we defeated the dark kingdom", she put down one of her fingers.

"We defeated several beings of unmanageable power that came from out side our solar system with the intention of conquering, destroying, or killing the entire earths population", continued Sailor Venus as she put down another finger.

"Then there is the little fact we defeated the personification of chaos itself a little while ago", remarked Mina while she put down her thumb.

This left only her middle and ring finger up which she then reversed to give the villain a two finger salute.

"Don't fuck with love and justice", declared Mina.

This left the rest of the Sailor scouts speechless.

The silence was broken when several smoke grenades clattered across the concrete floor. An explosion blew a hole in the wall next to them and soldiers in all black swarmed through the breach.

"It's over", rumbled a husky voice.

More soldiers rappelled from outside and burst through the windows. A smug grin spread across the CEO's face. Her cat like smirk quickly vanished when she noticed whom all forty of the soldier guns were pointed at.

The tallest among them walked towards the Sailor scouts with a magnum in hand.

"Sorry bout this, I guess we're a little late"

"Who are you guys?", asked Sailor moon

"I am inspector Gomez and these fine gentlemen are members of the Grupo Especial de Operaciones. Usually they deal with domestic security threats. However for this particular case they made a bit of an exception"

"Thanks for the help, I guess. But how did you guys know we were going to be here?"

"We were informed by a mutual friend of ours that you fine ladies could use a bit of assistance. So after we hitched a ride from a space hobo, we came to do what we do best"

"Be fashionably late?", asked Mina.

The tall man let out a sigh.

"Actually we came to kick ass and take names, but I suppose that it's a little late for introductions now. Perhaps another time"

"No time like the present", offered Mina.

He shook his head, "the guardian of time made it rather clear we aren't to stay around for too long". He then turned towards Sailor moon.

"I was told you knew some one that is very dear to me. Her name is Hannah, she's a few years younger then you"

In a few large strides he closed the distance between them and placed something in her hands.

"Could you please give this to her, it was her fathers", murmured the Inspector.

Then a distinctive grinding and whirring noise could be heard as a blue TARDIS appeared in the center of the destroyed office.

"Looks like are rides here, oh and one more thing"

He ran forward and slammed the CEO over the head with the butt of his pistol.

"I was told to warn you not to let your guard down"

With that little bit of advice and a sprinkle police brutality, inspector Gomez departed. The entire forty strong GEO action team then fallowed him in to the Tardis.

"How do they all fit in there?", inquired Hotaru.

"It must be bigger on the inside", supposed Mina.

Before their eyes the Blue telephone booth vanished into thin air. Without any other distractions all eyes shifted to the Senshi dressed in black.

"You know, a friend of mine once asked me if I would still love her even if she was a monster"

Usagi gave a wistful smile as she reminisced of seeing her old friend several days ago.

" If I could only see her one last time, I would tell her- Moon Healing Escalation!"

Naru's transformation faded away and she was left lying unconscious on the cold hard ground. Love and justice triumph yet again.


	18. Aftermath

Hikawa shrine, the past . . .

"So, what the fuck just happened?", asked Mina.

Ami wished she had an answer, wished she could just explain everything away. Unfortunately she had yet to read a physics or Advanced Calculus book that could explain away what they had just witnessed.

"Okay, so we attacked the CEO because she was evil . . . ", began Haruka.

". . . like we always do", finished Michuru.

"Then we found out Naru was possessed by a daemon", added Mina.

Usagi just nodded at this innocently. She may or may not have forgotten to warn the others about the whole, my best friends a monster thing. Oh the strange things that happen between close friends in girl's bathrooms.

"Then the guys in gas masks crashed the party", said Makoto.

"Only to pile into a phantom telephone booth moments later", concluded Mina.

A rather confused looking Akane turned towards Hotaru.

"Are things always this complicated?"

"Yes"

That was that.

"So, what happens now?", asked Mina

"It's over, we won", responded Ami.

It was over.

The banks of the River Clyde, the future . . .

It was cold down by the docks. Thick low-lying mist snuck into the clothes of any passer bye, chilling them to the bone.

The Inspector was already waist deep in water when he felt the hand grab his waist from behind. He tried to struggle, to throw them off, but their grip was like steel. No human could be this strong.

The water wrapped its way around his body as he descended below the frigid waters. Another hand grabbed him by his black hair, holding him down.

Questions ran through the drowning inspectors head. Then objections, then . . . then.

The inspector exploded up from the water line, catching his attacker off guard. His massive brutish fist connected to the mysterious figure with bone shattering force. Their enigmatic frame was sent flying towards the shallows.

Taking one step at a time, the panting bear of a man approached his attacker. Good thing he tried to drown himself while still carrying his pistol, not that it would help him against this foe.

"Dead-"

She didn't have time to finish as her teeth chattered from the second impact. A brutish hand wrapped around her neck and began to throttle her. What the not so helpless inspector lacked in strength, he more then made up for in intent.

The guardian of Space and time grabbed the inspector by the wrist and squeezed, shattering his wrist instantly.

In mad desperation the inspector tried to bring his other hand around to strike her, but she was ready for it this time. With an ear rupturing crack the inspector lost his other arm.

The water-drenched man gave a bloody grin.

"Funny timing you've got there"

The green haired warrior didn't deign to answer; her strike has sure and clean. Sure enough to kill lesser men, but this was Inspector Gomez. The lighting fast blow pierced his trench coat, letting him catch her with the arm that only had its wrist shattered.

"Dead scre-"

Taking her smaller size into account, the inspector had pulled back with all his force so that they both tumbled into the rivers depths. If his target were human then this would have been a finishing move, if only.

The green haired guardian dug her feet into the riverbed and clasped a hand around his waist once more. Nothing could stop her from doing anything she wanted to him, like saving his life.

His body tumbled back onto land, he didn't know why or how this had happened. The inspector was so close seeing his old friend. Just his bloody luck that an assassin would interrupt his suicide attempt.

"Do you know who I am?", asked the green haired Matron.

Her civilian persona then gave way to her true from. A great key materialized from the air and her clothing changed into her Senshi uniform. The silver moonlight played with her hair and eye's, amplifying her exotic beauty.

"Do you always talk this much before you kill some one?"

The guardian of space and time gave an enigmatic smile.

"Not usually, however I might just make an exception for you, when the time comes"

Dull recognition was forming in the inspectors mind; the cold and getting the shit kicked out of him somewhat lessened his powers of deduction.

"Don't suppose you have a smoke", he asked in a deep husky tone.

"Sorry, I don't"

"Shite, suppose it doesn't really matter though."

Brown eyes drifted up towards the stars. What a lovely night to die.

"Mr. Gomez, I have a few questions for you"

"Fuck off"

Sailor Pluto cracked her neck and loosened up her shoulders.

"I was afraid you would say something like that. I'll give you one last chance though, for the sake of your friends daughter"

The man with too many memories closed his eyes.

"Go ahead then. I'm ready", he whispered.

Pluto did find everything she was looking for. Her methods were not gentle. By the morning's first light her interrogation was finished.

The timeline would be maintained, whatever the cost.

Minato Ward of Tokyo, the past . . .

Naru was at the hospital, again.

This should have been where she gave up hope. The moment that she realized her life didn't matter. That all her efforts to help others had only made things worse.

Nothing could have been farther from the truth. Today was the happiest day of her life. Her life started anew when a boy with glasses had snuck into her hospital room to ask her a question.

He got down on his knees and she smiled from the hospital bed. Umino was ready to spend the rest of his life with her, and all she could say was-

"Yes!"

Tokyo, the past . . .

An old senile wizard sat by himself on a park bench. Eight girls in mini skirts had defeated the plans of Albus Dumbledore, the greatest wizard the world had seen in centuries.

"The flowers look beautiful this time of year", muttered the ancient wizard.

"They sure do"

That voice, it was the time bitch.

"I couldn't agree more Mrs. Meioh"

"My name is Pluto"

Dumbledore looked behind him only to find the Senshi of time and space with her key in hand. The elderly wizard noticed that all of the civilians playing in park had either gone missing or were frozen in place.

"My my", he chided her, "never before have I seen such irresponsible use of the time stream"

"Mr. Dumbledore, perhaps I could help enlighten you in the subject. Right after I am done breaking every bone in your body"

Dumbledore got up from the park bench and drew his wand, just in time to get blasted by Pluto's attack.

"Dead scream"

The head masters body went tumbling across the grass until he stuck a tree. The sound of bones cracking was quite audible.

"I fear . . . that you are interfering . . . with the greater good", spluttered Dumbledore.

"I apologize", responded pluto, " but the timeline must be maintained"

"Crucio", responded Dumbledore.

Pluto didn't so much as flinch.

"It ends now old man"

"Well the thing about that is-" * pop *, Dumbledore had apparated away

Pluto let time return to normal while she cursed her luck. Despite her near omniscience and years of experience, some archaic old fart had just gotten the best of her.

Couldn't things just be easy for once?

Makoto's apartment, earlier that day . . .

This morning Makoto's special guest found a mysterious package when she woke up.

Inside of the brown box was a human skin brief case with a six-letter combination lock. How queer, maybe she should tell Makoto about it.

"M-Makoto, are you there?"

No response.

"Hello?"

The daughter of a dead man looked down at the case, why did it look so familiar?

Another thing bothering her was that there were only a few stitches on the brief case, meaning its covering came from a single specimen.

"Huh, a six word combination lock. Haven't seen one of those since . . . since."

There went her memory again. Bits and glimmers of her past kept on dancing through her mind.

"Could it be, no that'd be ridiculous"

She put in the combination any ways. Y-A-T-U-S-K, the case opened.

Something black and cold was inside. Pieces of a greater whole that when assembled would be terrible to behold. It reminded her of a past taken from her, it reminded her of home.

"I- I remember something, but what could it be?"

Tears pattered down her puffy red cheeks. She was so alone. Where was Makoto?

"I miss you dad", she whimpered softly while she dried her tears.

"I'll come home soon, I promise. Just don't give up. It'll be all right. You'll see."

The "foreign exchange student" tried to fake a smile. She wasn't fooling any one. Not even herself. How pathetic.

Tokyo, the past . . .

Many things can fit inside a run down apartment in the bad part of Tokyo. A naked soldier, soiled sheets, and a 14.5mm Magnetic accelerator Rifle hidden in a sock drawer.

" God, forgive me", muttered Si.

She had failed. Everyone she had every loved was probably dead. So pathetic, so worthless, how had it come to this?

"I'm so sorry Luna", Si began to shake uncontrollably, "I am so sorry".

The door of the apartment flung open. A three meter tall armor clad soldier forced their way in. Behind the black visor was something that still qualified as human. Within the grey armor dwelt some one who still counted Si as a friend.

"You are in critical condition", declared the harsh synthetic voice of the Soldier.

Si couldn't raise her head, neither could she hold back her tears. The soldier walked towards her and started to pull off the sheets from the bed after laying her gently on the floor.

"Dehydration, exposure to unsafe conditions, signs of severe stress, and considerable damage to the spinal cord in conjunction with other unidentified injuries", rattled off the synthesis of human and machine.

It laid a cold steel hand on her fore head. Then it carried Si in her arms and took her to the shower to wash her and scrub her clean. It was a crime to leave her in such abominable conditions.

"Thank you", whispered Si.

For hours the metal giant took care of her. Drying her, giving her water, and force-feeding her nutrient paste. None of this was done with a hint of hesitation, as if the metal soldier would rather do this than anything else in the world.

"Rauta I wanted to tell you-"

"You need to rest Si, you're in no condition to waste any energy. Go to sleep, I will stay by your side. Just like old times"

"Who will protect Luna then?"

"Have you forgotten where she was born?"

"No"

"Sleep Si, you need to regain your strength. I will stand by you until you do, whatever the consequences may be"

Si looked so peaceful while she slept. Nothing like the nervous wreck responsible for the death of countless enemies of humanity. Like a delicate rose without its thorns, like sunlight bleeding through the eye of the storm, like the soldier who saved Rauta's life when both of them were little girls.

No one cared about them. Heroes in an age where humanity is pushed past breaking point, and an age where soldiers lives are measured in seconds when the enemy arrives. Born in an age of madness, and defiance in the face of extinction.

Three hearts beating in the darkness. Waiting for the dawn. Waiting in vain.

Osoka P's Jewelry store, the past . . .

Naru had been released from the Hospital earlier that day.

Umino had showed up with a bouquet of roses and walked her home. Then Naru decided to invite him inside. They had a little fun and got comfortable, perhaps a little too comfortable.

Umino and Naru had better get married soon, before they have one more thing to be thankful for.


	19. Fate Denied

Hikawa shrine, the past . . .

"Aaaagh", wailed a tortured soul.

"What the-", muttered Rei.

She got up from reading her Manga and searched for the source of the ruckus. It was coming from a chest hidden in her room.

"Oh no, did I?"

She ran and undid the latch. Oops, she had forgotten about the English magical. It wasn't really her fault though. Usagi told them to keep the pervy detective at her place. She never said any thing about making him comfortable.

"Uuuugh . .. shtlkkajjasj"

He was foaming at the mouth. That was never a good sign. Rei reached for her communicator and called all of the sailors together. She might need a little help with this.

"Don't worry I'm here to help!"

"How did you get here so quickly Mina?"

"Oh, I was just watching you from the bushes"

"What?"

"I mean . . . um, I was just in the general area"

Rei blinked several time rapidly.

"Any ways Rei, this guy looks kind of thirsty. We'd better get him something to drink"

Mina pulled out a whiskey bottle from nowhere in particular.

"Wait Mina, alcohol dehydrates"

"Ok"

"It'll only make things worse"

"Oh, oh yeah I totally knew that. This is just for the uh, smell. Yeah, the smell, that's it"

Rei's brain was screaming in protest. The effect Mina had on ordinary people was to make them discover their need for love. The only effect Rei was experiencing right now was a sudden urge to commit bodily harm.

"Rei, I came as soon as I could. Wait who's that?"

"Makoto, I'm glad your here. Mina and I were just discussing how to handle the situation"

*intermittent groans of agony *

"Have you guys tried giving him water yet?"

Rei glares at Mina.

"We were just about to get to that"

Suddenly a fourth Sailor scout arrived.

"What's that smell?"

"Oh hi Ami, turns out we kind of forgot to give the Englishman water"

Rei elbowed her in the ribs

"Sorry, I mean I kind of threw him in a box and forgot to tell Rei about it"

Makoto and Ami starred at Mina.

"Guys, the Englishman needs water"

"Hold on Mina, I got this"

Rei walked out of the room to fetch some water. Ami took this moment to check on their captive's condition. Mina tapped her feet nervously.

"So . . . how do you think Usagi will react?"

Haruka walked into the room in her Sailor Uranus form.

"React to what, Mina"

The sailor pile up continued as Sailor Neptune (aka Michuru) and Sailor Saturn (aka Hotaru) also arrived.

How many Senshi does it take to give a dying squib some water, one. How many super powerful warriors of love and justice had shown up to do so, six.

Then Pluto showed up.

"So this is what you all have been up to"

All of the outers shifted around uncomfortably.

"Pluto, aren't you supposed to be guarding the time gate?", asked Ami.

"Something came up, besides. A good friend of mine has it covered"

Meanwhile at the gate of time . . .

It was poker night.

"Doc are you sure this was a good idea?"

"Relax Marty, besides I'll win back your college funds in no time"

Negima frowned and reshuffled his hand. Tarrot cards kept on sneaking in with the poker cards somehow.

Next to him was a magic girl with an even deeper frown, and large black wings. Another set of 21. If this kept happening then they would accuse her of still having her time stop ability. Even when Homura won, she lost.

The dealer for poker night was sporting a black leather Jacket and close-cropped hair. Tonight's players were aware he was a war hero of some sort. What they didn't realize is that somewhere, in a different time and place, a young woman named Rose was awaiting his return.

Suddenly there was a breach at the gate of time- * Shotgun blast*, there was a breach at the gateway of time.

"Are you just going to leave him there to bleed out?"

"Don't worry Negi, we have the situation under control. Don't we Marty"

"Doc, he's dead . . ."

The "intruder" had been what appeared to be a vagrant of some sort. The knee length coat, fingerless gloves, and dusty goggles certainly made him appear like unto a vagabond.

"Not again", muttered Homura

Hikawa Shrine, the past . . .

Ranma was still.

The windows were open in the room Mr. Hino had let them stay. A light breeze played with stray strands of the comatose martial artist's hair.

"Ranma"

Rays of light danced upon the petite red heads skin. Golden sunshine shone upon a poisoned soul. Saotome, you poor fool.

"Get up Ranma, you jerk!"

That was Akane. Tears tapped against her old lovers skin. She was so angry with him, she was so angry with herself. Akane had spent the last few years making peace with her past. But seeing Ranma so helpless, it was just too much.

"Ranma No Baka"

Akane punctuated her declaration with a kick to his side.

Ryoga wanted to step in and stop her. However he could see her aura gathering and knew just how bad of an idea that would be. He did it any ways, or tried to at least.

Ryoga took a deep breath and walked up behind Akane. He placed a hand on her shoulder to comfort her so she would calm down. She threw him threw a wall, several walls actually.

Several rooms away Hotaru waved at Akane. The other Sailor's skipped the introduction and teleported straight to Akane's location.

Ambient energy flickered through the room. Chi aura's and Magical energy alike buzzed through the room.

Akane picked Ranma's motionless body from the floor. Tears streamed down in ragged sobs. Something was rekindled in Akanes heart, something lost to her along time ago.

Suddenly Ami heard her mercury computer beep. She flipped it out; it was reading something, coming from the unconscious girl in Akane's arms. Its signature looked familiar, dark magic.

"Akane, put the girl down", commanded Ami.

Akanes arms shook, her legs buckled, but she didn't let go.

The Senshi turned around when they heard some one quickly approaching from behind them. Usagi, being late as always, was running up the stairs.

Fifty meters, forty meters, thirty meters, fifteen meters, ten meters . . . . it was too late.

Bits of skin flayed off Ranma, revealing a collection of glowing runes. With a thunderous crack, Akane and the Senshi were struck by a wave of pressure. Then fire leapt outwards as the spell took effect.

Acting on pure instinct Rei threw herself on top of Usagi. Taking the full force of the blast so her princess didn't have to.

A Crater formed in the ground from the force of the impact. In the very center was a sickly pale and unclothed Ranma Saotome, blood leaking to the ground from the scratches across her body.

Akane was the first to recover from the effects of the impact. This was all her fault; it was her fault for not listening to Ami, and her fault for letting her heart get in the way, again. She had to be the one to end this; there was no other way.

"I am sorry Ranma"

In a blur of movement Akane was above Ranma. In a single strike she shattered his spine from the base of the neck down. Sloppy, she raised her fist and charged it with Ki. She would make it as painless as possible.

"Goodbye"

Akane couldn't bring herself to do it. He was staring her straight in the eyes. Eye's filled with conflict, and regret.

"Do it", pleaded Ranma.

The strike finished what the first had started, or at least it would have. Instead the blow was stopped a hairs breadth away from Ranma's skull by an invisible barrier. Then a haze of translucent crimson static appeared on Ranma's forehead.

"Nerima Planet Power", spoke a voice not quite Ranma's

A black and red sailor suite, a cocky grin, and waves of malevolence greeted Akane. A hand shot out and dug into her chest, going straight for the heart.

"You always were so weak"

The grin grew wider and wider at Akane's shock and confusion.

"Ranma couldn't suppress me forever you know, at least I was the one who broke out this time. Or would you rather have had a cat fight?"

Akane placed a hand on the arm plunged into her chest.

"His curse was supposed to bring him balance, but how is being good all the time balanced at all?"

The Not-Ranma was cackling madly, twisting her arm about in Akane's chest.

"Call me Ranko" it murmured.

Akane's hand shattered "Ranko's" arm. The blue martial artist pulled herself off of the sick reflection of her one true love. With a grunt Akane used Chi to knit her flesh back together. Giving the monster enough time to get to its feat.

"You always did watch a lot of cartoons on TV. Isn't this what you always wanted, to be the hero?"

Akane's Aura swirled violently; bits of the ground were torn up from the earth as the tension rose.

"Let me guess Akane, you've been training haven't you. Ever since you lost him, ever since you lost everything. Let's see if you're still second best"

Akane leapt forward and struck faster then the eye could fallow, faster then even Ranma could hope to deflect at the peak of his prowess.

"DIE!"

Each and every blow stuck its mark. The grin on Ranko's face disappeared. Even monsters can know fear.

" I hate you, you ruined my life, you let me down, and worst of all, something I can never forgive you for, you made me fall in love"

"Did you enjoy it?", asked Ranko.

Akane slammed her fist through Ranko's torso with a Chi infused strike. She didn't miss, nor did she hesitate. The body stuck to her arm for a few seconds before sliding off.

No one said a word, or even moved. Well except for Hotaru who came to Ranma's side and tried to heal him. She tried again, and again. The wound was gone but the Martial artist wasn't moving.

Hotaru didn't want to see her new maid die; she had just started to like her. Out of options Hotaru did the only thing she could think of to save her, she copied the prince from snow white.

Ami raised an eyebrow while Hotaru kissed Ranma Saotome.

"Ummm . . . that's not how you do CPR"

Hotaru blushed and started pounding on Ranma's chest rhythmically to get her to wake up.

While the Senshi of Silence tried to resurrect the reason why she no longer had to clean her room, Sailor Uranus put an arm around Akane.

"Come on, let's go get a drink. After what happened today, you are going need it."

Akane nodded weakly and let her mentor lead her away.

Shortly after Akane and Haruka had headed to the bar, Hotaru jumped up in surprise. She had resurrected the princess with the power of love. Well love, CPR, Senshi magic, and Usagi secretly pitched in a little while Hotaru wasn't looking.

Makoto thought the whole thing was rather sweet, Neptune had half a mind to berate Ranko for missing two day's of work, and Pluto was pensive.

What was Dumbledore playing at?

Tokyo, the past . . .

Through all his years upon this earth never before had Dumbledore met such a huge pain in the neck as Tom Marvolo Riddle, the Sailor Senshi however came at a close second.

Naru, his champion of the light, didn't even last thirty seconds against Pluto's stooges.

The Martial artist he lured into a nondescript back alley, well he wasn't sure yet. However the lack of an enraged Pluto trying to rip his head off, sort of gave the impression that his second champion had failed as well.

With the two best candidates wiped out, Dumbledore would have to settle for a B-lister.

What was that muggle saying again, third times the charm?

Hikawa shrine, the past . . .

Pluto had assembled two cats, three martial artists, and eight super powered Heroines.

Not bad for a quick fix up job if she did say so herself.

Chiba was still missing and so was the Englishman. Mamoru probably just dropped in and took the near dead hostage away while no one was looking. Disappearing without a trace was kind of his thing.

Good, one less loose end for Pluto to deal with later.

"Sailor moon, you're the leader. What do you suggest we do?"

"What are we up against?"

"An ancient powerful and insane wizard out for revenge"

"Oh . . . um, can we use the power of love to make him see the error of his ways"

Pluto smiled.

"Usagi, this old man has suffered much in his life. In truth death would be kindness. However, if you really think you can change him"

"I will, every one deserves a second chance"

"Even if they hurt your friends?"

"Yes"

"Well if you're sure"

Pluto turned to the three outer senshi.

"Are you prepared for the mission ahead?"

"Always", said Michuru and Haruka in unison. Hotaru nodded to show she was in agreement with Michuru-mama and Haruka-papa.

Pluto beamed with pride at the Outer Scouts.

Next she turned to Sailor moon and the inners.

No questions were necessary, the five fire forged friends would walk through hell for each other.

Lastly, she looked past the moon cats and beheld the Nerima gang. A blue haired young woman, a handsome looking young man wearing an Bandana, and a pigtailed buff martial artist who's wearing a borrowed set of pants.

When Rei finds out . . .

Any ways the Nerima crew all looked ready.

Pluto nodded towards the future leader of the Silver millennium, everything was ready, and the mission was a go.

Tokyo, the past . . .

Imperious charm placed on innocent girl, check.

More personal magical protection then Hogwarts and the ministry of magic combined, check.

Willingness to commit horrible acts in the name for the greater goods as well as the means to do so, check and check.

The trap was set and Dumbledore was ready to avenge Harry Potter.

Now all he needed to do was lure the Senshi to his location, how best to accomplish such a task?

He noticed a cop chatting up a woman by a café several blocks away.

One well aimed Reducto and a destoryed street lamp later, one ancient wizard created pandemonium.

He watched the Chaos unfold with vague disinterest. This was just the prologue, and he knew with his advanced age he should save his energy for the main act.

"My dear Pluto, I am afraid only one of us will survive this day", Calmly stated the obscenely powerful wizard.

While men, women, and children fled for their lives, Dumbledore looked up at the clouds as he hummed a cheery melody.

Albus dreamed of a brighter future, where magicals need no longer live in fear of interfering time bitches. Where people would be masters of their own destinies, and not merely puppets in some misguided plan by a woman trying to resurrect a golden age that died along with Queen Serenity.

Dumbledore chuckled bitterly, even he wasn't deluded enough to chase after dead memories in such a pitiful manner. On second thought, perhaps he and Pluto were not so different after all. It was possible she was merely misguided.

Perhaps she could even be guided towards the light. If she could be persuaded away from her misguided path, imagine what could be accomplished. Why they could-

Dumbledore looked up from his musings when he felt several projectiles slam into his defenses.

Dumbledore's search was cut short when two and a half tons of cybernetic killing machine ploughed into him. For the second time this week, he flew threw the air and collided with a neighboring object.

This time the Ex Headmaster got off with nary even a scratch. Multiple layers of charms, enchantments, and wards tended to do that. Having a high-octane mixture of combat drugs pumping through your veins didn't hurt either.

Dumbledore removed himself from the wall he was lodged in, just in time to get hit by a grenade. Well, if you count a 51 mm high explosive mortar shell as a grenade that is.

The headmaster chuckled; such a meager assault didn't even phase his defenses. Alas such a fact was not lost on the three meter tall being attacking him, who promptly corrected their previous mistake by chucking three more mortar shells at him in rapid succession.

This could take a while and Dumbledore's unexpected guest didn't look like they would give up any time soon.

Dumbledore cast a few notice me not charms, transfigured a tin can into a plush armchair, and settled in for what could very well be a long wait.

He didn't have to wait as long as he had expected.

The Senshi had arrived.

A flurry of hand gesture, shouting of declarations of justice, and a feeling of utter foreboding, Dumbledore had seen this unfold so very many times it almost seemed trite.

Four seconds, that's how long his barrier lasted. If he stood still it was all over. Yet his hunters were experienced at stalking prey that could teleport. Every time he apparated there was a Senshi waiting to strike. It was a game of attrition, a game no single wizard could win.

They were wearing him down slowly. Their lack of ambition was disappointing. He was older then four of them combined, yet even he could see the openings they were obviously missing.

Darn in it, that mist again. Dumbledore knew it was a beginner's mistake to underestimate Mercury. Her aqua rhapsody very nearly gave Dumbledore an Enema from the outside in.

It didn't escape the Headmaster notice that they were boxing him in. Slowly forcing him to trade ground for time, with the more aggressive guardians roaming around the edges in case he tried to escape. It wasn't hard to guess the reason why Pluto was out of sight; she must be their contingency plan.

"In the name of love and justice, we will punish you!", cried Sailor moon.

She was the only one Dumbledore didn't have practice against, a wild card and purportedly the strongest among them. So they had a champion. They had shown him theirs, time for him to show them his.

" I hope you don't mind if I bring a guest to accompany me"

"What?"

"No need to be so nervous. I have a feeling the two of you are already well accounted"

"You- Moon Healing Elation"

"Accio Hannah"

Sailor moons attack hit Hannah instead of Dumbledore. It removed the imperious curse placed upon the poor girl, yet it still left her within arms reach of Dumbledore.

"It's time you learned that you can't save everyone Sailor moon"

Dumbledore lowered his wand to Hannah's neck while using her as a human shield.

"Sectemsempra"

Dumbledore dropped her like a MC dropping their mike.

"Now!", yelled Sailor moon.

A familiar blur picked up Hannah and then leapt away. Not soon after Akane jumped behind Dumbledore and grabbed him from behind. Next a rolled up yellow bandana flew out of nowhere, snapped Dumbledore's wand in twain, and still had enough energy left over to burry itself several inches in the ground.

Go team Nerima!

"Moon Healing Elation", yelled sailor moon.

Albus Percival Dumbledore, for many years he was the Headmaster at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As the waves of lunar magic washed over his decrepit form all he could think of is how much she reminded him of the boy.

The boy, Dumbledore knew, had to be sacrificed. But could he have gone through with it if it came down to that. The boy that looked so much like Lily Evans and James Potter. The boy who had done nothing to deserve such a fate, to be kept alive so that he could die at the proper moment, like a pig raised for slaughter.

Right now, Dumbledore wasn't quite sure. It had been oh so very long since he had seen the boy. All he could see now when he tried to think of him was his eyes. Did he know he had his mother's eyes?

Did sailor moon have her mother's eyes?

Once the cleansing was finished, Dumbledore felt his strength leave him. He was without purpose, there were no ills left to avenge. All that was left was his memories. Dumbledore remembered everything.

The duel against his old friend Grindelwald, when the latters search for the "Greater Good" went too far and hurt too many people. Watching Tom Riddle turn into a monster because he was never loved. Being unable to save harry from Pluto's Machinations.

No tears were shed for the sins of the past, none could be shed, and he was an old man with many regrets and no one to share them with. Everyone he had cared about disowned him or thought him to be dead. It's better that things stayed that way.

In the depths of his loneliness he could hear a kind voice speaking to him. The voice of someone who still had something to fight for, he heard the voice of Sailor moon.

"You know, there are things much worse then death"

She approached him and much to his surprise embraced him. The soldier of love and justice had the older wizard bend down slightly so that she could whisper into his ear, she had one hand around the back of his neck and the other under one of his arms as they embraced.

"But I'm not that Cruel"

Then Sailor moon broke his neck.

Akane who had been restraining him up until now let go. His lifeless corpse slid out of Sailor moons arms onto the cold hard ground.

They killed him. They killed him, that wasn't part of the plan.

Oh well, now that he's out of the way they can final throw a bachelorette party for Usagi.

Yay!


	20. Loose End's

Japan, the past. . .

A hallow peace came with the dawn over Tokyo.

The previous night had all but been a blur to Mamoru Chiba. Another's life in his hands, screams, confusion, and a struggle for survival against a mysterious foe.

That's what his night was like.

Now he sat on a slow moving garbage barge, carefully keeping pressure on a neck wound, with an exhausted villain napping on his lap.

Still, it was quiet, if only for the moment.

In an hour or two the barge would stop, he would wake up his petite arch nemesis, and odds are it would all start over again.

This is why the world needs Sailor Moon.

Tuxedo Man thought about teleporting or just leaping out of there to vanish mysteriously. Thought about it, thought about it some more, yet he ultimately decided against it.

Today, he would watch the sun rise.

Makoto's Apartment, the past . . .

Moon Prism Bachelorette party!

Mina had spiked the punch, Rei and Akane discussed the finer points of the new Cutey Honey remake, and Haruka whispered something into Michuru's ear.

Meanwhile Makoto had met her match in the kitchen. Akane had introduced the Senshi of lightning to her sister Kasumi. The results were Delicious!

Usagi loved seeing her friends so happy. If only every weekend could be this much fun!

Then, there was a nock at the door. Who could it be?

Mina, being closets to the door, went to answer it.

The door swung open, revealing . . . "Asian Mr. Rogers?"

Mina's remark, perchance inspired by inebriation, wasn't too far off the mark.

"Excuse I'm here looking for- "

"Usagi look out!"

Mina picked up the Raven-haired man by the neck and held him up in the air effortlessly.

"-for my daughter", he finished.

"Oh, I'm- I'm sorry about that", apologized Mina as she let him down gently.

Then Ami, who for some inconceivable reason was reading a medical book, at a Bachelorette party of all places, came to the door.

"You must be Hannah's father", she offered.

The man nodded.

"Hold on a second, I'll see if she's awake"

While Ami walked off to Makoto's bedroom, the man and Mina just starred at each other awkwardly.

"So you come around her often?", she asked.

The man gave a thoughtful look, as if considering how best to reply when from across the apartment came an ear shattering loud shout of. "Daddy!"

She shot forth like a rocket and leapt into her father's arms. They embraced for an moment and held each other tight.

"Awww, that's so cute", commented Mina.

At long last they reluctantly drifted apart. There was a smile on his face and tears on hers.

"Do you remember what I told you when we first met", he whispered sweetly while he wiped away her tears.

She nodded and embraced him once more; she'd never have to be alone again.

All the Sailors, minus the mysteriously absent Hotaru, watched the Father and daughter's reunion with the same reaction many people get while watching puppies snuggle.

After a moment held inside an eternity, they let go once more.

"Thank you, thank you for taking care of my daughter"

Hannah tugged on her dad's cardigan.

"Dad, there is someone I want you to meet"

She pointed to the tallest of the Senshi who had just finished cooking.

Father and daughter walked into the kitchen, able to resist the allure of Kasumi's cookies only through sheer force of will.

Hannah said, "Dad meet Makoto-mama, Makoto meet Dad".

The raven-haired man gave a deep bow.

"I thank you for taking care of my daughter, and might I say you look lovely this evening", spoke Hannah's father.

Unable to properly accept the complement from a complete stranger, the Brown haired Senshi nodded and blushed a little.

"We are for ever in your debt", he said aloud.

Then he turned to his daughter and suggested, "I think I've intruded on their privacy long enough, perhaps we should go"

"But dad, its Usagi's Bachelorette party. Can't I stay a little longer?"

"You're too young, besides if you stay here then who will help me finish off the brownies sitting on the kitchen table"

Hannah giggled, then her composure shifted and she hugged Makoto around her waist.

"Thank you, for everything"

Before anything more could be said, her father pulled her away and held her hand while a green light engulfed them. They were gone, vanished, safe and sound in another place and another time.

Makoto stood there thoughtfully before whispering, "goodbye".

Then the door of Makoto's apartment swung open and in stepped Hotaru dressed up like a stage magician with a goofy grin on her face.

She walked to center stage (the middle of Makoto's apartment where every one was gathered), and put down a brief case.

"For my first trick, I'll pull a rabbit out of my hat"

She took off her top hat that was just a tad to big for her, and tugged at whatever was inside. She tugged harder and harder, it appeared to be stuck.

"Aha!", at last she pulled it free, a sailor moon plushy.

Hotaru gave an concerned look while everyone barring Mina and Usagi herself burst out laughing.

50 seconds later . . . . "Oh, I get it", said Mina.

Then Hotaru started rummaging through the brief case, throwing out random joke implements here and there until she found the real rabbit, it wasn't moving.

The Senshi stopped laughing.

Hotaru cleared her throat, "For my next trick-"

An old time record player appeared in the corner, the record spun around several seconds before it started playing, "I put a spell on you".

Then six burly shirtless men wearing top hats appeared behind Hotaru.

"Are you all ready for a magical evening?", they asked in unison, with their sexy deep voices.

Usagi and her friends started hooting and hollering.

Hotaru improvised and with the help of her new back up dancers performed a dance routine. The applause when they had finished was thunderous.

Hotaru bowed deeply along with the hot shirtless guys.

Mina then took out a big stack of yen and started making it rain. Did you know Ami could do a catcall, you didn't, well neither did any one else until that fateful day.

While the rest of the girls where fawned over the hot burly men, Haruka was having polite conversation with one of the gents in the corner.

Said stripper, I mean exotic dancer, had ebony skin and a nice warm grin. Looked like the kind of chap you wouldn't mind having a few pints with.

"So where are you from?", asked Haruka.

"We're an exotic dance troop from Canada, the Hamilton Hard boy's"

Haruka smiled wryly.

"Is that an accent I hear?", she inquired.

"Right on miss, I used to be from Brittan. Went to Hogwarts till I was seventeen"

"You're a wizard?"

The man let loose a hearty laugh.

"Did us showing up from thin air not give it away?"

"You're not the only one who knows that trick"

"Really, I don't suppose you go round showing up out of no where"

Haruka's smile widened into a grin, "If I told you I'd have to kill you"

The exotic dancer gave her an appraising look, as if laying eyes on her for the first time.

"What did you say your name was again?", he ventured.

"Haruka"

"Well Haruka, I hereby crown you the seventh most interesting woman I have ever met"

"How about you tell me about the other six", teased the Baddass biker.

While those two noble individuals were getting themselves gloriously drunk, Mina was trying to put the moves on a Hispanic boy.

"Tell me a little about yourself"

"Mam, you're getting a bit too close to me"

"I know, and don't you like it?"

"Mam, I'm only seventeen. This kind of thing is only a job for the weekends"

The unsteady blonde "accidentally" fell forward, forcing the nervous boy to catch her in his big powerful arms.

"How bout you an me play a game sum time", she slurred drunkenly.

"Oh dear", muttered Alex.

"I bet I could kick your ass at racing"

The nervous kids expression changed immediately to one of determination.

"Oh you are so on"

"Best two out of three", asked Mina.

"Nah, wouldn't want to embarrass a pretty girl like you, after all it'll be over by the first lap"

Minako gave a maniacal grin, "We'll see about that".

A few paces away Akane and Rei had restarted their intense discussion of various works of Manga. Stuck between a rock and a hard place was Edward, the smallest of the burly hot shirtless men.

"So who do you think is the better couple, Rukawa and Sakuragi or Rukawa and Sendoh?", asked Rei with barely constrained Malice.

Edward was rather nervous. He knew the show they where talking about, his pen pal from the Philippines mentioned it a few times in their correspondence to one another.

"Actually I think Haruko and Sakuragi are a pretty good couple"

By taking the third option, Edward was hoping he could avoid getting yelled at. Akane disproved his naïve theory with rabid fervor. But Rei, Rei was Quiet, and that terrified Edward.

A burly man with an Australian accent was chatting up Michuru over by Kasumi's cookies. Both of which had their hands resting on or nearby the cookie tray, as if daring the other to give in first.

"So I take it you aren't familiar with the work of Tchaikovsky"

The firm jawed Aussie nodded.

"I'm afraid that I must not be as well acquainted with his work as you are-"

"That is understandable", said Michuru with a sigh.

"Never really was much of fan", stated the rough and tumble boy for down under, "now Vivaldi on the other hand . . . "

Meanwhile Hotaru was causing a ruckus in the middle of the room. After cleaning up her magic kit (and disposing of the Rabbit), she had started a pillow fight.

However it should be noted that Hotaru took her Pillow fights very seriously. As a handicap she had agreed to a three vs. one match, and she was still wining. As three beaten and bruised exotic dancers could now agree, size isn't everything.

Then two new challengers came to the fore, first Usagi picked up a pillow and chased after Hotaru. Then after they accidently ran into a studying Ami, the blue haired Senshi arose to reap a terrible vengeance. Not a single pillow was spared that night, much to Makoto's chagrin.

Still, it was so much fun. If only this night could last forever.

The hours ticked by, and one by one the hired entertainment reached the limits of human endurance. Not long after the hot shirtless men had vacated the premises, every one started to snuggle in for a slumber party.

Usagi was sandwiched between Rei and Mina on the bed. Makoto and Ami had snuggled up next to each other in sleeping bags. Michuru and Haruka had fallowed their example, however they cut out the middleman and just slept in the same sleeping bag. Hotaru meanwhile had dug in and erected an impressive pillow fort around herself. Kasumi and Akane were sleeping on an inflatable mattress that Ami had brought for them.

In Makoto's Apartment

There was a Usagi

And a Mina

And a Rei

And an Ami

And a Makoto

And a Haruka

And a Michuru

And an entrenched Hotaru

And a Kasumi

And a Akane

Goodnight Mina and Rei

Goodnight Ami and Makoto

Goodnight Haruka and Michuru

Goodnight Hotaru

Goodnight Akane and Kasumi

And Goodnight, Sailor Moon.

Eastern Canada, the past . . .

Mamoru's bachelor party was a night he would never forget.

**TRIGGER WARNING- Viewer discretion is advised**

Motoki swung the Winchester rifle around. His hands shook violently in the frigid cold, yet his aim was sure. It had to be.

While Motoki of THE IRON WILL volunteered to hold the line, Mamoru limped towards the cabin. The cabin door was locked. Mamoru had an axe, Mr. door meet axe.

All this madness was the result of series of rather inconvenient circumstances and some unspoken rule of the Universe that Mamoru must die, or at least be seriously maimed on a semi annual basis.

A group of undead Native Americans were tonight's chosen contestants for the challenge of ruining Mamoru's Bachelor party.

The setting for this merry little batch of skullduggery was the frigid wilderness of Canada, with the only shelter from the cold being a creepy Cabin with chains wrapped around the front door to bar any one from entering.

Fortunately Mamoru has an axe. After several attempts at cutting through the chain, the dark haired boy finally got lucky and scored a critical hit. It was super effective.

With a great heave the unchained door was forced open. Mr. Chiba entered the cabin with Motoki on his heels. Moments after they had both crossed the barrier, the blonde haired best man started to barricade the door.

To pass the time Motoki started up a bit of polite conversation, "So, Mamoru are you a virgin?"

Mamoru wasn't quite sure how to answer that. He hadn't slept with Usagi yet, however there were a few incidents. Incidents he wasn't at liberty to discuss at the moment on the off chance they both survived.

"Why do you ask?"

Motoki's grimace turned into a look of deep discomfort as he tried to find the right words to explain their special situation.

"Well you see, I understand a bit of French, it sounds like if the Indians take you alive then they'll take you to their chief so he can spend the night with you", explained a flustered Motoki.

One, Two, Three . . . that's about the time it took for Mamoru to knock Motoki out, turn into Tuxedo man, and teleport out of there.

**ALL CLEAR- Trigger warning is no longer in effect**

Motoki was on the floor, and Mamoru was- wait, what was that?

Mamoru hurled the axe in his hand towards the noise with all his strength. The Hatchet buried itself deep into the wall of his apartment, right next to Sailor Pluto's head.

"Losing your touch I see", noted the Senshi of time.

Mamoru started to wretch violently, he used his top hat as a barf bag to avoid blowing chunks all over his buddy.

Sailor Pluto coughed, waited a few seconds, and then coughed again.

"So I take it your night went as bad as mine did", stated Pluto.

Chiba decided to detransform, fortunately the vomit also dissipated with his top hat. He would be sure to remember that trick for later. Alas he forgot that he was weaker in his human form, and promptly passed out on top of Motoki in an incrementing position.

Looks like another job for the guardian of space and time!

Tokyo, the past . . .

When Usagi and Mamoru met you could say it was love at first sight, you could say that, but you would be wrong.

Usagi and Mamoru had been through a lot together. He had been brainwashed, killed, and worst of all had tried to break up with her. It may be true that he did that last thing in the mistaken belief that if they did stay together then terrible things would happen, however the devil is in the details.

You could say Usagi was just one step away from breaking up with him, however you would be wrong, dead wrong. Usagi and Mamoru were destined to be together and she would stay be his side for as long as it takes. If fate itself conspired against them being together she'd find out where fate lived, beat it senseless, and then alter their destiny so that they could be together.

So until Mamoru woke up she would stay by his side.

When Chiba did wake up, she was the first thing he saw. A beautiful face, the most beautiful face he had ever seen with blindingly bright light behind her. When she smiled, oh when she smiled, the light of a thousand suns could not hope to compare to her radiance.

Like an angel she stood over him. Then his eyes adjusted to the harsh hospital light. Turns out he wasn't dead, yet.

"Usagi"

"Yes?"

"I was thinking, maybe we should wait a little longer before getting married", suggested Mamoru.

"I understand . . . ", she was on the verge of tears.

"Usagi, I love you"

Hikawa Shrine, the past . . .

As Rei kept the sacred flame, she saw things. Things she never wanted to see, things she wished she could forget, and today she saw something terrible. She saw-

"Rei Hino", came a hushed whisper.

It didn't matter who had tried to sneak up on her, or what goal they hoped to accomplish by coming here. Because they had made one critical error that would cost them dearly, they under estimated Rei.

The shrine maiden got up slowly, no need to get all worked up over nothing. She then turned to greet who ever had been foolish enough to try and sneak up on her. There was a polite little smile on her face as she did so.

Her visitor looked rather ill. Their fedora and leather duster covered up most of the skin, yet the pallid hue of their hands was hard not to notice.

"I was wondering if you could- ", the figure collapsed to the floor in a coughing fit. Speckles of blood splattered against the floor.

Rei walked forward cautiously, unsure of whether or not to help the Englishman.

"Don't bother, its too late for him", said Pluto.

Today she had yet again indulged in her peculiar habit of appearing unannounced.

"Would you be so kind as to give us a moment of privacy, Mrs. Hino"

Rei hesitated. Pluto was smiling, why was she smiling? Quiet as a cat, Pluto walked up behind the dying man and knelt to whisper something in his ear. The man shuddered.

The shrine maiden felt something was amiss, "Pluto?"

The Green haired woman turned her head.

"Rei, I'll be back in a moment. I merely have to take care of one last loose end"

She disappeared with the Englishmen, leaving Rei alone with the sacred fire yet again. A city in flames accompanied with muted scream of folly, and unheard pleas against the silence. These were Rei's dreams as of late. What she wouldn't give for a good nights sleep.

It didn't matter though; she had a job to do. She went back to watching the fire, and hoped in vain that if she did her job well enough, her princess would stay safe. That Usagi could dream of a world without pain.

Rei was the silent watcher. She didn't need to fall in love, she didn't need admiration, she had her friends, and that was enough.

There are some things that meatball head would never understand.


End file.
